Campobasso is a city not so well known in Italy, but one that has an incredible history! It is a city in the Molise region, located in south-central Italy. Surrounded by hills and towering mountains, the city sits at an impressive altitude of approximately 700 meters above sea level, creating a breathtakingly picturesque landscape.
Campobasso is renowned not only for its delectable cuisine and rich historical heritage, but most notably for an extraordinary event: the Misteri di Campobasso event.
The Misteri di Campobasso event is a very old tradition in Italy, celebrated every year on Corpus Christi Sunday. It's a significant religious and cultural event. This tradition started in the 16th century, when the city's lay confraternities organized sacred performances to celebrate Corpus Christi.
In the mid-18th century, the confraternities of St. Anthony Abbot, St. Mary of the Cross, and Holy Trinity asked the sculptor Paolo Saverio Di Zinno from Campobasso to create more intricate processional machines. Di Zinno designed and made eighteen of these “Ingegni” ensuring stability and uniformity to the representations.
The Misteri are wooden bases with iron frames that branch out and support harnesses for the figures. Both children and adults in the parade dress up as angels, devils, and saints. The harnesses are hidden under their costumes, making it seem like the children are flying.
Throughout the procession, the Misteri are borne on the shoulders with a rhythmic sway that causes the structures to undulate, thereby enhancing the impression of flight. The event takes place annually on Corpus Christi Sunday and winds through the historic center of Campobasso, covering about 3.5 kilometers. The final blessing takes place around 1 p.m. from the main balcony of City Hall.
In addition to the children who traditionally play the sacred figures, there are other characters, including the devils, known for their coarse gestures and exclamations directed at citizens.
To recount the atmosphere of this event is really impossible; only those who participate can fully experience the excitement that spreads throughout the city. We have found a video to share with you so that you can experience this unique cultural event from home. Enjoy watching it!