Celebrations in Honor of Saint Vitus the Martyr (Patronal Feast)
Six days of faith, brass bands, and folk music in Aquilonia, in the heart of Alta Irpinia
About Feast of Saint Vitus the Martyr
A patronal feast in the heart of Alta Irpinia
In Aquilonia, a small town in the province of Avellino overlooking the Ofanto Valley, the Celebrations in Honor of Saint Vitus the Martyr are the most anticipated event of the year. For six days in mid-June, this Alta Irpinia town pauses its daily routine to rally around its patron saint: families return from abroad, confraternities take to the streets, and Piazza Guglielmo Marconi becomes the community's living room. It is a quintessential Campanian patronal feast, where religious devotion and popular tradition are perfectly intertwined.
From the three-day preparation to the solemn procession
The calendar follows a well-established tradition. It begins with the triduum of preparation, three days of celebrations held in the community's various churches dedicated to the martyr. This is followed by the inter-municipal fair, which fills the streets with stalls and draws visitors from neighboring towns. June 15th, the liturgical feast day of Saint Vitus, is the highlight: the statue of the Saint is carried in a procession accompanied by brass bands and the participation of the entire town. The closing day, June 16th, features a Eucharistic celebration and a final procession through the streets with religious, civil, and military authorities.
The Badia di San Vito, the destination of the devotional journey
The symbol of local devotion is the Badia di San Vito, a religious building dating back to the mid-13th century located about a kilometer west of the town center. It houses a 13th-century wooden statue of the Saint, 18th-century sacred furnishings, and the Cross of Indulgences granted in 1901 by Pope Leo XIII. Beside the church stands an ancient downy oak, recognized by the Campania Region as one of the most important natural landmarks in the area, with a trunk circumference exceeding five meters. Tradition dictates that the faithful perform three full laps around the Abbey before entering, a ritual that concludes with a general blessing.
Brass bands, majorettes, and grand evenings in the square
The soundtrack of the festival is provided by grand brass band concerts: the «Alta Irpinia» band opens the days with morning parades, while afternoon performances are enriched by majorettes. In the evening, the atmosphere shifts: the stage in Piazza Marconi hosts famous Italian comedians and musicians every year, with free concerts that attract audiences from all over Alta Irpinia. The event always concludes with a fireworks display, eagerly awaited late at night as the true seal of the festivities.
The fair, blessed bread, and the «Little Saint Vitus»
- Inter-municipal fair: A historic market that opens the secular days of the festival and attracts neighboring towns.
- Saint Vitus bread: Blessed bread distributed to the faithful, one of the most iconic gestures of local devotion.
- Little Saint Vitus: A celebration on May 9th that anticipates and prepares for the patronal feast in June.
- Two processions: The one reaching the Abbey outside the town center, and the solemn one through the streets of the town.
Sport and community: the Donato Tartaglia Memorial
In recent years, the festivities have been joined by the Donato Tartaglia Memorial, a sporting event that brings athletes from all over Italy to Aquilonia and which the municipal administration has permanently added to the June program. Working alongside the Saint Vitus Martyr Festival Committee and the Santa Maria Maggiore Parish are the Youth Forum, the Polisportiva Aquilonia, and the confraternities: a purely volunteer-based organization that is, in itself, one of the defining traits of the festival.
Why it's worth the trip
Those arriving in Aquilonia during these days will find much more than just a concert in the square: they will find a town telling its own story. The Municipality of Aquilonia, in Campania, also preserves the Carbonara Archaeological Park and an ethnographic museum dedicated to the peasant memory of Irpinia, and the feast of Saint Vitus is the moment when this heritage stops being a mere exhibit and returns to being daily life. It is an ideal opportunity to combine a visit to the village, the Abbey, and the landscapes of Alta Irpinia, so close to the border with Puglia and Basilicata.
Feast of Saint Vitus the Martyr — edition 2026
The Saint Vitus Martyr Festival Committee curated a six-day program for 2026, from June 11th to 16th, successfully blending the two souls of the patronal feast of Aquilonia, in the province of Avellino: the devotional and the popular.
Celebrations began with the triduum of preparation in the community's various churches, a moment of spiritual reflection dedicated to the martyr. On June 14th, the town embraced the festive spirit with the opening of the traditional inter-municipal fair and the performance depicting the history of Saint Vitus the Martyr in Piazza Marconi, followed by the «Forum Opening Summer» evening organized by the Youth Forum.
On June 15th, the patron saint's day, the «Alta Irpinia» Grand Brass Band accompanied musical parades through the town center; throughout the day, the procession with the statue of the Saint took place alongside a Holy Mass celebrated by parish priest Father Jonathan Cuxil, while the evening featured a concert by Nduccio.
On June 16th, the Eucharistic celebration was presided over by H.E. Archbishop Pasquale Cascio, followed by a procession through the city streets with the participation of religious, civil, and military authorities, associations, and the entire population. The closing featured a concert by Danilo Sacco and a fireworks display, one of the most anticipated events of the edition.
The festivities were accompanied by the second edition of the Donato Tartaglia Memorial, which brought athletes from all over Italy to Aquilonia. The municipal administration publicly thanked the 2026 Saint Vitus Martyr Festival Committee, the Youth Forum, the Polisportiva Aquilonia, Father Jonathan and the Santa Maria Maggiore Parish, the confraternities, the Municipal Police, the Carabinieri, and the Civil Protection for an event that united «faith, tradition, culture, and social gathering».
Programme Feast of Saint Vitus the Martyr 2026
June 11th-13th
Triduum of preparation in the community's various churches, dedicated to the figure of Saint Vitus the Martyr.
June 14th
- Opening of the traditional inter-municipal fair.
- Performance depicting the history of Saint Vitus the Martyr in Piazza Marconi.
- «Forum Opening Summer» evening organized by the Youth Forum.
June 15th — Patronal Feast
- «Alta Irpinia» Grand Brass Band with musical parades through the town streets.
- Procession with the statue of the Saint and Holy Mass celebrated by parish priest Father Jonathan Cuxil.
- Evening concert by Nduccio.
June 16th
- Eucharistic celebration presided over by H.E. Archbishop Pasquale Cascio.
- Procession through the city streets with religious, civil, and military authorities, associations, and the population.
- Concert by Danilo Sacco.
- Closing fireworks display.
Related Event
Second edition of the Donato Tartaglia Memorial, a sporting event with athletes from all over Italy, organized by the Polisportiva Aquilonia.
Highlights Feast of Saint Vitus the Martyr 2026
- The concert by Danilo Sacco and the closing fireworks display on June 16th.
- The solemn procession with the statue of Saint Vitus and religious, civil, and military authorities.
- The «Alta Irpinia» Grand Brass Band with parades through the center.
- The performance depicting the history of Saint Vitus the Martyr in Piazza Marconi.
- The concert by Nduccio on the evening of June 15th.
- The inter-municipal fair and the second edition of the Donato Tartaglia Memorial.
Prices Feast of Saint Vitus the Martyr 2026
Practical information — Feast of Saint Vitus the Martyr
How to get there
Aquilonia is located in Alta Irpinia, at the eastern edge of the province of Avellino, near the border with Puglia and Basilicata. It is easily reached by car from the A16 Naples-Canosa motorway, continuing along the roads of the Ofanto Valley. The Badia di San Vito is about a kilometer from the town center and can also be reached on foot.
Where it takes place
The heart of the festival is Piazza Guglielmo Marconi, 83041 Aquilonia (AV). Religious celebrations are held at the Santa Maria Maggiore Parish and the Badia di San Vito.
Costs
Access is free and open to all: processions, brass band concerts, evening shows in the square, and the final fireworks display do not require tickets.
Practical tips
- Arrive early on June 15th and 16th: the town is small and parking spaces in the center fill up quickly.
- Wear comfortable shoes for the walk to the Abbey.
- Even in June, evenings at this altitude can be cool: a light jacket is recommended.
- Local accommodation is limited: those staying overnight can look for options in neighboring towns of Alta Irpinia.
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Where does it take place — Feast of Saint Vitus the Martyr
Piazza Guglielmo Marconi, centro storico e Badia di San Vito
Piazza Guglielmo Marconi, 83041 Aquilonia