The Blessed Virgin of the Clay, patron of Castellazzo Bormida and preserved in the local Sanctuary, has been appointed the protector of motorcyclists by Pope Pio XII in 1947.
Hundreds of ex-vote regarding also numerous motorcycle accidents,where the main characters miraculously saved them, are preserved inside the sanctuary. Unfortunately, other accidents haven’t had a miraculous end, but not with standing this, a great deal of crash-helmets, coming from all over the world, are shown in the memory of injured or dead people.
In the occasion of the international meeting in July, according to the tradition, on Saturday night the Bishop of the Diocese celebrates a Mass in memory of the dead people, where all the official representatives of the international Motorbike Associations of the MADONNINA DEI CENTAURI are present.Moreover in the occasion of the meeting, which is unique in the world, the first motorcyclists, representing the official foreign motorbike association,enter the sanctuary riding their motorbikes to hear the Mass and receive the benediction by the Bishop
It is important to remember that the image of the MADONNINA DEI CENTAURI is exposed in every centre of the motorbike associations, which have been called after Her for a very long time.