Sacred Heart of Jesus Fire

Every year, on the second Sunday after Corpus Christi, mountain fires are lit across South Tyrol to celebrate the deep bond with the homeland. This tradition is also upheld in Naturns.

The roots of this custom go back to the 19th century, as a sign of the Sacred Heart vow made in 1796. At that time, the regional estates of Tyrol gathered in Bolzano to discuss the threat posed by Napoleon’s advancing French troops. The Abbot of Stams, Sebastian Stöckl, proposed seeking divine assistance. Since then, this vow has been renewed annually, with mountain fires ignited on peaks and slopes.

The tradition of lighting fires in the mountains has even older origins, dating back to medieval times. In mid-June, at the summer solstice, the sun reaches its highest point and is considered particularly powerful. Fire, as a symbol of the sun, stood for healing, fertility, and blessings for people, animals, and nature. On this longest day of the year, solstice fires were already being lit in pre-Christian times, accompanied by fertility rituals. With the Christianization of the region, these fires began to be lit in honor of saints, and were eventually replaced by the Sacred Heart Fires.