Feast in Honor of Saint Roch

Devotion to Saint Roch in Noicattaro

In Noicattaro, a town in the province of Bari in the heart of Puglia, the Feast in Honor of Saint Roch is the second most cherished event of the year, right after the patronal festival of Our Lady of Mount Carmel celebrated in July. Saint Roch of Montpellier, invoked for centuries as a protector against epidemics, is venerated as the co-patron of the Noicattaro community, which pays him a deep devotion rooted in the town's popular culture.

The two statues and the procession

The most evocative feature of the festival is the presence of two statues of the saint. The first, crafted from papier-mâché, is placed on a large altar set up in Piazza Umberto I, where it remains on display for the faithful throughout the days of the celebration. The second, made of silver, is carried in procession along the streets of the town center by a vast crowd of devotees carrying heavy votive candles, which are placed at the feet of the statue at the end of the parade. It is an image that speaks to the ancient bond between the community and its co-patron.

Between the sacred and popular festivities

The devotional calendar begins on August 16th, the liturgical feast day of Saint Roch, with the arrival of the saint greeted by fireworks and, in the evening, by a grand concert from the Noicattaro town band. The solemn civil celebrations then concentrate in the first days of September, when Piazza Umberto I and the town streets light up with traditional Apulian artistic illuminations and come alive with music, market stalls, and shows. In the evenings, brass band concerts and pyrotechnic displays draw locals and emigrants returning for the occasion, in a festive atmosphere that unites multiple generations.

A staple of Noicattaro tradition

Experiencing the Feast of Saint Roch means connecting with the most authentic identity of Noicattaro: popular faith, family tables shared with relatives, processions winding through the historic center, and the warm atmosphere of Apulian squares in celebration. A free, open-air event that, every year, reaffirms the value of tradition and the sense of community in the Municipality of Noicattaro, in Puglia.