Mysteries Feast – Campobasso

11 June 2023. The most important religious feast in Campobasso on the day of Corpus Christi

La Festa dei Misteri (Celebration of the “Mysteries”) is the most important feast in Campobasso and it usually takes place on the Sunday of Corpus Christi. in 2023 on June 11th.

The celebration is a procession along the city streets of 13 “tableaux vivants” (allegoric floats with people) representing the Mysteries.
These machines are carried on the shoulders by young people, at least twelve for each mystery, and they follow a special rhythm, punctuated by the “mystery chief”

Each Mystery is a machine realized with metal structures able to sustain both children and adults, and the coating with colored fabrics makes the illusion that some of them are floating in the air.
Each mystery is dedicated to a saint and it has a religious and moral message ”

The first machineries of the Mysteries were created in 1748 by Paolo Saverio Di Zinno, a native artist. Only 18 “machineries” of 24 passed the acceptance test, and 6 of them were destroyed in the earthquake of 1805.
So they remained just 12 representing: St. Isidore, San Crispino, San Gennaro, Abraham, Saint Mary Magdalene, Saint Anthony, Virgin Mary Immaculate Conception, San Leonardo, San Rocco, San Michele, Assumption of the Virgin Mary, St. Nicholas of Bari.
The thirteenth Mystery was built in 1959 and it is representing the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

Today the Procession is organized by the Mysteries and Traditions Association supported by the Municipality of Campobasso.

All year long it is possible to see the machineries in the Mysteries’ museum>>>

INFORMATION
The Mysteries’ Museums
Tel. 328 555 6549 or send an email>>>
See the 2022 program>>>

Cover photo by Sonia Varela.