. Every year on July 16th,  Avigliano celebrates the Feast of the Madonna del Carmine,one of the most deeply cherished devotions among the local Christian community. This tradition is rooted in the history and spiritual values of the Order of the Brothers of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Mount Carmel—better known as the Carmelites.

The feast was first established on July 16th, 1251, to commemorate the Virgin Mary's apparition to Saint Simon Stock,then Prior General of the Carmelite Order. During the vision, the Madonna handed him scapular (from scapula, Latin for “shoulder”)—a small cloth garment worn over the shoulders—and revealed the spiritual graces attached to it.

Saint Simon Stock became a passionate promoter of devotion to Our Lady of Mount Carmel and even composed the famous hymn Flos Carmeli (“Flower of Carmel”) in her honor. .According to tradition, the Virgin promised that those who died wearing the scapular would be spared the sufferings of Purgatory, saying:

“This is the privilege for you and yours: whoever dies wearing it shall be saved.” .Wearing the scapular became a sign of consecration to Mary, an outward expression of the believer’s desire to imitate her in word and deed.

Roughly a century later, Pope John XXII affirmed this devotion by issuing the the Sabbatine Bull, acknowledging the so-called Sabbatine Privilege—a promise attributed to the Madonna, who reportedly appeared to the Pope and asked him to pray for members of the Carmelite Order. In return, she vowed to deliver them from Purgatory.

A lesser-known fact is that this promise—known as the Great Promise to Saint Simon Stock—remains valid today. However, to receive the scapular, . .

one must be enrolled by an authorized priest, wear it continuously, and register with the Confraternity of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. To benefit from the Sabbatine Privilege, one must also observe chastity and recite specific daily prayers prescribed by the priest during enrollment. the Sabbatine Bull, The Celebration in Avigliano.

In Basilicata, the Feast of the Madonna del Carmine holds a special place in local religious life—and in Avigliano, it is observed with profound devotion.

. AviglianoOn the eve of the feast, the statue of the Madonna, housed in the Chiesa Madre (Main Church), is dressed in a mantle adorned with gold and silver offerings from the faithful. A crown is placed on the heads of both the Virgin and the Child, and a Carmelite scapular is hung from the Madonna’s arm.

The religious observance begins with a novena—nine days of prayer—from July 7th to 15th, culminating in a grand procession on July 16th. Today, the statue is carried from the Chiesa Madre to the Church of Santa Maria degli Angeli. . . . . processione.
Il 16 la statua viene condotta fino alla Chiesa di Santa Maria degli Angeli.

From there, a pilgrimage begins to the Sanctuary of the Madonna del Carmine, winding through the countryside. Along the way, the confratelli—members of the religious brotherhood—carry the traditional cinti (elaborate wax structures) and palii—triangular linen banners featuring a golden embroidered image of the Virgin.

Once at the mountaintop sanctuary, the faithful circle the church three times in a profoundly symbolic gesture, followed by the celebration of Holy Mass.

The day ends with a joyful outdoor communal meal, where families and pilgrims gather to share food and fellowship in honor of the Madonna.

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