Italian police and special forces successfully disrupted a potential terrorist attack targeting the centuries-old “Macchina di Santa Rosa” festival
Newsroom (08/09/2025, Gaudium Press )Italian police and special forces successfully disrupted a potential terrorist attack targeting the centuries-old “Macchina di Santa Rosa” festival, a UNESCO-recognized cultural event attended by thousands, including Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, authorities confirmed.
On September 3, agents from DIGOS, Italy’s anti-terrorism and organized crime unit, raided a bed and breakfast near the festival’s procession route in Viterbo, arresting two Turkish men. The suspects were found in possession of automatic weapons, including a semi-automatic pistol and an assault machine gun, according to multiple Italian media reports.
The “Macchina di Santa Rosa” is a nearly 100-foot structure carried by 100 porters through Viterbo’s streets to honor St. Rose of Viterbo, the city’s patron saint. The annual procession, which draws an estimated 40,000 spectators, commemorates the transfer of St. Rose’s body to her final resting place and is a cherished tradition in the region.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni praised law enforcement and Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi for their “swift intervention” in a September 4 statement on X. “This decisive operation ensured the safe celebration of a one-of-a-kind event, recognized by UNESCO as an intangible cultural heritage of humanity,” Meloni said. “It represents a centuries-old tradition deeply cherished by the people of Viterbo and many Italians.”
Foreign Minister Tajani, who was safely relocated during the incident, commended law enforcement, the mayor, and the prefect of Viterbo for maintaining calm and ensuring a “safe and panic-free” procession. Tajani shared his remarks on X, emphasizing the operation’s success in protecting attendees.
Suspected Links to Organized Crime
According to Avvenire, the newspaper of the Italian bishops’ conference, police sources indicated that the suspects do not appear to be connected to terrorist networks such as ISIS. Instead, authorities suspect ties to organized crime. While no definitive evidence of a terrorist plot has been confirmed, investigators are probing the possibility of a planned attack. The suspects face charges related to arms trafficking.
The arrests coincide with heightened security concerns in Viterbo following the May 2024 capture of Baris Boyun, a suspected Turkish mob boss, in the nearby hamlet of Bagnaia. Boyun, apprehended in a joint operation by Italian police and Interpol, awaits extradition to Turkey.
Authorities continue to investigate the motive behind the suspects’ actions and their potential connections to broader criminal networks, as Viterbo residents and festivalgoers express relief at the averted threat to their cherished tradition.
- Raju Hasmukh with files from OSV News
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