Rievocazione Storica del Dono delle Sacre Spine

The Re-Enactment of the Gift of the Sacred Thorns is an historic and religious event held each year in Ariano Irpino between 11 and 13 August.

During these three days of mediaeval re-enactments, the local community traces the history of the siege by the Saracens of Lucera in 1255. The battle ended with the victory of Charles I of Anjou over Manfredi, and the monarch then came to Ariano in 1269. Upon his arrival in the town of Tricolle, it is said that the King of Sicily gave the Bishop Pellegrino two sacred thorns from the Crown of Christ: although there is no official record of this event, it appears to be borne out by several factors, one of which is that Charles himself decided to take several thorns with him on the way to his conquest of the Kingdom of Naples.

As the years passed, the tradition of the Holy Thorns was enriched by popular legends, including the story of a pilgrim from the Holy Land who, upon his arrival in Ariano Irpino, showed the bishop and the community three Sacred Thorns and demonstrated their authenticity by setting them alight. Two of the thorns remained intact, while the third went up in flames. The Thorns were then carried triumphantly to the Cathedral of Ariano Irpino, where they have been preserved and worshipped by the local congregation.

For centuries a well-known ceremony, the Gift of the Sacred Thorns is immeasurably important for all the townspeople.