Dies in Castro Olibani — Patronal Feast of Saint Margaret V.M.
Medieval historical re-enactment A.D. 1364 and patronal feast in the village of Olevano Romano
About Dies in Castro Olibani
A village returning to the year 1364
For a few days in July, Olevano Romano, a town of vineyards and stone overlooking the Monti Prenestini in the Metropolitan City of Rome, sheds its modern guise. The Dies in Castro Olibani transports the historic center back to A.D. 1364, the year the Roman Curia approved the Statuta Olibani, the body of laws that governed life in the castrum. This is no mere decorative backdrop: the re-enactment is born from the study of that very document, aiming to recreate the rhythms, hierarchies, trades, and beliefs of a medieval community in the heart of Lazio.
The patronal feast of Saint Margaret V.M.
The event is inseparable from the patronal feast of Saint Margaret Virgin and Martyr, the martyr of Antioch who has been venerated in Olevano for centuries. The most poignant moment remains the procession with the Saint's relic through the town streets, accompanied by the local town band and the offering of the candle by the district captains. The solemn mass on the patronal day, July 20th, concludes the week's liturgical calendar. The event is organized in collaboration with the Municipality of Olevano Romano, the Saint Margaret V.M. Parish, and the Dies APS Association, which has been active since 1996 with dozens of volunteers.
The historical pageant, the heart of the event
The most anticipated appointment is the evening historical pageant: hundreds of participants in philologically accurate costumes enter through the village gates, led by the district captains, accompanied by archers, flag-wavers, drummers, and the banners of neighboring towns. The night hours amplify the atmosphere, amidst torches, fires, and the solid profile of the Fortress. The route touches the town's symbolic landmarks: Piazza Umberto I, the Church of Santa Maria di Corte, Piazza della Rocca, and the ancient city gates.
Crafts, games, and the medieval table
A widespread program unfolds around the pageant over several days:
- Ludi Olibanenses — medieval games between districts, archery, and skill trials;
- Convivium — a banquet featuring rustic cuisine served at outdoor tables, enlivened by musicians and jesters;
- Chess Certamen — a tournament recalling the noble game par excellence of the 14th century;
- workshops and labs — ancient crafts, pottery, and activities for children;
- street performances — jugglers, fire-eaters, acrobats, and falconers;
- guided tours — to the Fortress, the churches, and the Civic Art Museum.
Olevano Romano, the town and its wine
Olevano Romano is famous among art lovers for having been, between the 19th and 20th centuries, a destination for generations of Northern European painters drawn by the light of the Serpentara and its oak woods. It is also the land of Cesanese, the red grape variety symbolic of Lazio, grown on the hills surrounding the town. Those who arrive for the Dies will find, beyond the re-enactment, a village with medieval alleys, wine cellars, and taverns where one can stop after the pageant.
A community event
What is most striking about the Dies in Castro Olibani is its participatory dimension: costumes are sewn in town, districts organize for months, and families lend their courtyards and cellars for the scenes. It is a festival not born for tourism but one that welcomes it gladly, and which every year brings many emigrants and descendants scattered across Italy and abroad back to Olevano.
Dies in Castro Olibani — edition 2026
Dies in Castro Olibani 2026
The 2026 edition spans over a week, from July 12 to 20, with the core of the re-enactment concentrated on July 17-20. The town experiences a crescendo starting from the inaugural conference and leading to the evening historical pageant and the patronal feast of Saint Margaret V.M.
As per tradition, the event is organized by the Dies APS Association together with the Municipality of Olevano Romano and the Saint Margaret V.M. Parish, with the participation of the districts and dozens of volunteers. Events take place in the village's symbolic landmarks — Piazza Umberto I, Piazza della Rocca, the Church of Santa Maria di Corte, and the city gates.
Almost all appointments are free and held outdoors; the exception is the medieval banquet, for which booking is required.
Programme Dies in Castro Olibani 2026
Sunday, July 12 — Dies Inauguralis
- Inaugural day with a conference dedicated to beliefs, superstitions, and popular traditions of the Middle Ages.
Friday, July 17
- Opening of the re-enactment: guided tours of the village, traveling exhibitions, entry of the district captains through the city gates, and first historical pageants.
- In the evening, the AperiDies, a medieval banquet, with street performances, jugglers, and fire-eaters in the town squares (Piazza Umberto I, Piazza della Rocca, Church of Santa Maria di Corte).
Saturday, July 18
- Ludi Olibanenses: medieval games between districts for adults and children.
- In the evening, the Convivium in Piazza Umberto I, a banquet with rustic cuisine, musicians, and jesters.
Sunday, July 19
- Chess Certamen, medieval tournament.
- Certamen of the Gates between districts, street artists, and ancient crafts along the streets.
- Procession with the relic of the Patron Saint and offering of the candle by the district captains.
Monday, July 20 — Saint Margaret V.M.
- Solemn mass in the Church of Saint Margaret.
- Medieval games for children and, as a closing, the historical pageant of the Passio of Saint Margaret with participants, falconers, flag-wavers, drummers, and the banners of neighboring towns; charity lottery draw.
The detailed program with times, posters, and leaflets (also available in English, French, Spanish, German, and Danish) is published by the Dies Association on the official website www.diesincastro.it and on social media channels.
Highlights Dies in Castro Olibani 2026
- Historical pageant with hundreds of participants in costume, archers, flag-wavers, and drummers.
- Convivium, the medieval banquet with rustic cuisine, musicians, and jesters (by reservation).
- Chess Certamen and Certamen of the Gates, tournaments set in the 14th century.
- Procession with the relic of Saint Margaret V.M. and offering of the candle by the district captains.
- Falconers, fire-eaters, and acrobats in street performances in the historic center.
- Ludi Olibanenses, medieval games for adults and children between districts.
Prices Dies in Castro Olibani 2026
Practical information — Dies in Castro Olibani
How to get there
By car from Rome: A24 or via Casilina/SS155 to Genazzano, then the provincial road to Olevano Romano (approx. 55 km, 1 hour). From Fiuggi and the Sacco Valley, it is a twenty-minute drive up. By train: Colleferro-Segni-Paliano station on the Rome-Cassino line, then Cotral bus. The nearest airport is Rome Ciampino.
Parking and access
The historic center is pedestrianized during the event: parking is available in the areas below the village, and one must walk up. Comfortable shoes are recommended for the uphill alleys and cobblestones.
Costs
The historical pageant, street performances, and processions are free and held outdoors. The medieval banquet (Convivium) and some workshops require payment and mandatory booking through the Dies Association.
Information
Associazione Dies APS, Via della Chiesa 11, 00035 Olevano Romano (RM) — [email protected] — www.diesincastro.it
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Where does it take place — Dies in Castro Olibani
Centro storico di Olevano Romano
Piazza Umberto I, 00035 Olevano Romano