On September 3rd, the Macchina di Santa Rosa returns to Viterbo. A thirty-meter-high luminous tower, carried on the shoulders of a hundred men through the darkened historic center, before thousands of people who will hold their breath until the last step of the climb to the Sanctuary.
A tradition that has lasted for over 750 years
It all began with one event: the transfer of the body of Saint Rose, the city's patron saint, from the church of Santa Maria in Poggio to the sanctuary dedicated to her, which took place on September 4, 1258, at the behest of Pope Alexander IV. Since then, the procession has been repeated annually, and over the centuries, the simple "machine" that transported the relics has transformed into an increasingly imposing luminous tower. The current model, in use since 2015, is called "Gloria": it weighs approximately 5 tons, reaches nearly 30 meters in height, and is lifted along a path of just over a kilometer, all in complete darkness, illuminated only by the thousands of flames that cover it.
It is carried by the Porters of Santa Rosa, a corps of about a hundred men officially organized since 1978 but with a much older tradition. They wear a white uniform with a red sash: the white recalls the saint's spiritual purity, the red the cardinals. Interestingly, the word "porter" has its roots in Arabic. faquih (o faquin), a term that referred to officials and then, between the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries, cloth merchants. After years of transport, many develop a characteristic callus on the back of their necks, a physical sign and almost a "medal" of the fatigue sustained while holding the machine's shaft on their necks.
Curiosities that few know
One unique episode stands out in the event's history: in 1850, a widow named Rosa, wife of the builder Papini, became the only female Capofacchino in history, driving the carriage with the help of her children. There are also scary moments: in 1986, a skid during the ascent nearly caused the "Armonia Celeste" machine to collapse, only averted thanks to the prompt action of the porters. This incident led to significant changes in the safety organization. The "Armonia Celeste" itself remains the tallest machine ever built, at 33,90 meters—a record that prompted the City to legislate a maximum height of 30 meters for subsequent editions.
Since 2013, the Macchina di Santa Rosa has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site, along with the other Italian "Great Shoulder-borne Machines" (the Lilies of Nola and the Candelieri of Sassari). And in 2026, the tradition crossed national borders. In April, a tuft of hair from the Facchini was donated to European Parliament President Roberta Metsola as part of the "Machines for Peace" initiative. This year's transport is dedicated to the theme of peace, with Tg1 journalist Valentina Bisti as its patron.
A ritual that combines faith, hard work, and spectacle: if you're in Tuscia on September 3rd, it's worth attending.
