5 February
On this day, we celebrate the narrow escape from the earthquake of 5 February 1783. On that occasion, there were over seventy thousand dead in the entire Ultra province of Calabria and only Bivongi remained unscathed from that catastrophe. People cried out for a miracle through the intercession of Mamma Nostra and from that year on, they commemorated and thanked the Virgin for the narrow escape.
The celebrations for ‘Mamma Nostra’ in Bivongi are a moment of great involvement for the faithful, led by the parish priest who is also rector of the Sanctuary. One of the most heartfelt moments is the Novena, during which a guest preacher becomes the spiritual reference point, preaching at Mass and devoting himself to confession, visiting the sick and meeting with various community groups. These services are particularly appreciated, especially for the elderly and sick who cannot attend the feast.
During the Novena, the stories of miracles attributed to Mary, the patron saint of the village, are renewed, and the faithful express their devotion through the singing of quatrains, verses that summarise their deep connection with the Virgin Mary ‘Te invochiamo, Mamma Nostra...’. On Friday of the second week, the statue of Our Lady is displayed under a canopy, a prelude to the Saturday mass for the children, who offer floral tributes in the church square.
The climax of the festival comes on Sunday with the procession. The statue of the Madonna emerges from the granite portal of the mother church, greeted by applause and the emotional gaze of the crowd. In rows of two, the women precede the statue singing the ‘grazianiedi’ and reciting the Rosary, accompanied by the sound of the band. This celebration also attracts numerous pilgrims from the surrounding villages, united in devotion to ‘Mamma Nostra,’ venerated far beyond the borders of Bivongi.
