The devotion to the Madonna of Montevergine is one of the most popular with the people of Campania and there are many thousands of them here in Adelaide.

Long ago on 15 August 1955 a small group of men came together at the home of Mr Orlando Saccone, to discuss the possibility of bringing a painting to the Madonna to Adelaide. Like Mr Saccone, they were all great devotees of the Madonna Schiavone, being formerly of Avellino, Benevento and Naples.

When they put their idea to the Capuchin Priests, it was greeted with great enthusiasm so a small painting of the Madonna was ordered from the firm "Prescitelli of Florence" to be sent to the St Francis of Assisi Church Newton.

In a short time the painting arrived of "Mamma Bruna", as her devotees called her. On October 1956 came the first solemn celebration of the festa in honour of the Madonna of Montevergine, a celebration which has now become traditional, with a penitential procession from the Church of the Annunciation, Hectorville, to the Church of St Francis of Assisi, Newton, with the participation of civil and religious authorities and a multitude of faithful, all of whom finally converge in the grounds of the church which is decorated and lit up in authentic Campanian style. 

The festa of the Madonna of Montevegine has become one of the biggest religious festivals in the Italian Community of Adelaide and all of Australia. The faithful even come from other Australian cities to participate.

The dream of that small group of men in 1955 has become a sweet reality.