Every third Sunday after Pentecost, Sacred Heart bonfires light up from the hills throughout South Tyrol in the evening. These custom dates back to 1796 where the Tyrolean troops, worried about a possible invasion by French troops under Napoleon, decided to ask God for help and to entrust the Tyrol to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. After the surprising victory of the Tyrolean troops, fires were lit on the tops of the mountains and hills.
The Sacred Heart Feast is introduced with saluting bangs and bell ringing. The saluting bangs are loud acoustic signals that are fired in Tyrol to announce high occasions. The festival is celebrated with a holy mass at 9:00 a.m. in the parish church of Ortisei. To celebrate the church consecration in a fitting manner, a procession with Val Gardena’s costumes and the music band of Ortisei will take place after the mass.
