Traditionally, the third Sunday of May is the day set for the celebration of the celebrations in honor of the Madonna delle Grazie. This is the day from which the initiatives and celebrations, that are celebrated before and after, descend.
In fact, on the Friday preceding the third Sunday of May, all the devotees of the Madonna delle Grazie meet at the sanctuary of Santa Maria delle Letizie to witness the unveiling of the sacred image that takes place during the recitation of the Holy Rosary.
The following day, that is the Saturday preceding the third Sunday of May, in the morning, in the presence of the confraternity of Maria Santissima delle Grazie and the local clergy, the sacred image is dressed and then exhibited to the public.
Also on the same day, then, in the afternoon, Holy Mass is celebrated, ordinarily presided over by the diocesan bishop, and, afterwards, the solemn procession in honor of Mary takes place through the streets of Artena, before leading the venerated image to the church of Santa Croce, where it remains exposed to the faithful for at least a week.
During the presence of the statue at the church of Santa Croce, the Eucharistic celebrations and the daily and evening recitation of the Holy Rosary intensify.
At the end of the period fixed for the public veneration of the sacred image, it is brought back, again in procession, to the sanctuary of Santa Maria delle Letizie, where, after a last act of public veneration, it is “stripped” of solemn clothes and placed in the chapel and veiled again until the next public exhibition.
