From 2021 to the present

The Festa del Covo, as in the previous edition, was held in a reduced form compared to the traditional events we have always been accustomed to, due to the Covid 19 pandemic, whose dangerous effects, although weakened compared to recent months, still persist and require everyone to maintain special attention and caution.

The Eighty-second edition of the Festa del Covo was dedicated to a theme particularly dear to the parishioners of Campocavallo, the Eucharist. This is not the first time that the Covo depicts the central sacrament of Christianity. In 2011, on the occasion of the XXV National Eucharistic Congress held in Ancona with the participation of the Holy Father Benedict XVI, the Covo depicted the Eucharist kept inside Bernini's St. Peter's Baldachin. A creation of exquisite artistic workmanship, much appreciated also by the Holy Father who paused to admire and bless it.

From that 2011 Covo, the Monstrance was used, which was covered again with the ears of wheat harvested in this production year.

Despite its more modest size, the Covo has kept its charm and the values of faith intact which, as always, constitute its main essence: that of being one of the most important expressions of rural culture and popular religiosity of the good people of the Marche

The 2022 edition of the Festa del Covo, held on Sunday, August 7, 2022, was dedicated to an important historical icon of faith and religious tradition in Osimo: the Miraculous Crucifix of the Cathedral.

Preserved inside the Cathedral, the wooden crucifix dates back to around the 11th-12th century and is placed on an artistic altar created by the famous architect Andrea Vici. It is said that on July 2, 1796, in the presence of 127 people, the crucified Christ opened his eyes and moved his lips. In the following days, other sacred representations were protagonists of miraculous events from Ancona to Recanati.

Even today, more than two centuries later, the Miraculous Crucifix is remembered in Osimo on July 2, and its protective presence remains alive and a source of veneration in the local community.

The Festa del Covo wanted to pay its own special tribute to the Miraculous Crucifix. From the skillful and creative hands of the inhabitants of Campocavallo, the altar and the Sacred Image were reproduced in the artistic float which, entirely covered with ears of wheat woven with singular and precious art, was brought to the Sanctuary of Campocavallo as a gesture of devotion and gratitude to the Blessed Virgin of Sorrows for the year's harvest.

The Covo was donated to the Osimo Cathedral on September 10, 2022, with a procession that went up from Campocavallo to the Cathedral late in the evening.

Once again, as a tradition since the first edition of the Festival in 1939, the Covo symbolically testified to the genuine faith of our lands and the artistic creativity of many women and men who for generations have passed down the noble art of weaving wheat ears, a representation intended to keep alive one of the last typical festivals of the rural civilization of the past.

A large crowd gathered on Sunday, August 6, in Campocavallo for the celebrations of the 84th edition of the Festa del Covo. Also thanks to the presence of the statue of the Madonna di Loreto Pellegrina, to whom the Festival was dedicated, a tide of faithful lined the parade which showcased seven Covi from previous editions, in addition to this year's one, dedicated precisely to the Virgin of Loreto, whose devotion is very strong in our lands.

The Covo reproduced in all its singular magnificence and splendor the Basilica della Santa Casa di Loreto, which with its original and precious architectural style and its priceless artistic treasures inside, preserves an even more precious asset: the Holy House of Nazareth, where the Annunciation to Mary took place and where the Holy Family lived.

Full 35 years have passed since the 1988 edition which was also dedicated to Loreto, with the reproduction of the same Marian basilica. A long period, which has also seen refinement in the art of composing the ears of wheat, but nothing has changed since then in the devotion towards the Virgin of Loreto and in the passion with which the Covo is created. This year's parade is to be considered the exaltation of the simple and authentic beauty of our lands, where wheat is still a sign of communion and sharing and its scent brings us back to the genuine and spontaneous faith of our families.

The gift of the Covo, then as now, is a simple and spontaneous gesture to say thank you, to give thanks for the harvest, contents that the Covo embodies and witnesses. For the creation of the Covo, over two million ears of wheat were used and many women and men from Campocavallo worked assiduously over the last six months, without receiving any compensation, as has always happened, only for the pleasure of being together and renewing a tradition that has its roots in our identity as country people, particularly devoted to the Virgin of Sorrows.

At the end of the parade, in the presence of many civil, military, and religious authorities, the Archbishop of Loreto Mons. Fabio Dal Cin shared some appreciated reflections on the theme of work, faith, family, and youth.

Previously, the Mayor of Osimo Simone Pugnaloni and the Mayor of Loreto Moreno Pieroni had brought greetings from their respective city communities. From August 15 to September 10, the Covo was then moved to Piazza della Madonna, in Loreto, where it was admired by tens of thousands of faithful who daily arrive at the Sanctuary and the Holy House of Nazareth.

The 2024 edition of the Festa del Covo, held on Sunday, August 4, was dedicated to Siena and its Cathedral, one of the most beautiful and majestic cathedrals in the entire world. A pairing between the historic and artistic Tuscan town and the small center in the Marche region, which reveals the richness and diversity of the places and territories of Central Italy, the authentic beating heart of our Bel Paese.

These two realities, though different, are united in the preservation of the cult of traditions: Siena, with the Palio, the historic horse race held twice a year in Piazza del Campo, represents a centuries-old tradition and a moment of strong identity and passion for the people of Siena and for Italians in general. Campocavallo, with the Festa del Covo, certainly on a smaller scale compared to the Sienese tradition, was born as a rite of thanksgiving for the wheat harvest, an ancient rural tradition symbolizing abundance and gratitude for the fruits of the earth which, for 85 years, has involved the community that dedicates itself to it with art and passion.

The Cathedral of Siena and the Sanctuary of Campocavallo share a common characteristic, both guard the sacred image that is the reference point for the devotion of the citizens of their respective towns: the “Madonna del Voto” of Siena, which was awarded the title of 𝐴𝑑𝑣𝑜𝑐𝑎𝑡𝑎 𝑆𝑒𝑛𝑒𝑛𝑠𝑖𝑢𝑚, and the “Beata Vergine Addolorata” of Campocavallo, who has granted many graces to her faithful from June 16, 1892, to the present day.

To crown the twinning, from August 7 the Covo remained on display in Siena for a few weeks, on the occasion of the Palio dell’Assunta, as a testimony to the traditions, richness, and diversity of the places and territories of Central Italy, the authentic beating heart of our Bel Paese.

The 2024 edition of the Festa del Covo, held on Sunday, August 4, was dedicated to Siena and its Cathedral, one of the most beautiful and majestic cathedrals in the entire world. A pairing between the historic and artistic Tuscan town and the small center in the Marche region, which reveals the richness and diversity of the places and territories of Central Italy, the authentic beating heart of our Bel Paese.

These two realities, though different, are united in the preservation of the cult of traditions: Siena, with the Palio, the historic horse race held twice a year in Piazza del Campo, represents a centuries-old tradition and a moment of strong identity and passion for the people of Siena and for Italians in general. Campocavallo, with the Festa del Covo, certainly on a smaller scale compared to the Sienese tradition, was born as a rite of thanksgiving for the wheat harvest, an ancient rural tradition symbolizing abundance and gratitude for the fruits of the earth which, for 85 years, has involved the community that dedicates itself to it with art and passion.

The Cathedral of Siena and the Sanctuary of Campocavallo share a common characteristic, both guard the sacred image that is the reference point for the devotion of the citizens of their respective towns: the “Madonna del Voto” of Siena, which was awarded the title of 𝐴𝑑𝑣𝑜𝑐𝑎𝑡𝑎 𝑆𝑒𝑛𝑒𝑛𝑠𝑖𝑢𝑚, and the “Beata Vergine Addolorata” of Campocavallo, who has granted many graces to her faithful from June 16, 1892, to the present day.

To crown the twinning, from August 7 the Covo remained on display in Siena for a few weeks, on the occasion of the Palio dell’Assunta, as a testimony to the traditions, richness, and diversity of the places and territories of Central Italy, the authentic beating heart of our Bel Paese.