Feast of Saint Anthony of Padua

A festival that welcomes summer in Lanciano

The Feast of Saint Anthony of Padua is one of the most cherished events in the city of Lanciano, located in the province of Chieti, in the heart of Abruzzo. Centered on June 12th and 13th, the celebration symbolically marks the start of the Lanciano summer season, bridging deep popular devotion to the Saint of Padua with the convivial, festive atmosphere of a neighborhood fair.

The district and the parish

The heart of the celebration is the Parish of Saint Anthony of Padua, the largest in Lanciano with nearly ten thousand parishioners, located in the populous district of the same name. The church holds an ancient history, stemming from the legacy of the convent of Sant'Angelo della Pace, built in 1430 on the 'Fiera' meadow. Its title, 'of Peace', commemorates the mediation of John of Capistrano between Ortona and Lanciano, who were once in dispute over the port of San Vito.

The religious program

The preparation begins with the traditional Tredicina, thirteen days of prayer that lead the faithful to the eve of the feast with the rosary and the celebration of Holy Mass. Festivities officially open on Friday with the first solemn vespers, while June 13th, the day of the liturgical feast, features the main celebrations.

• The solemn mass on the afternoon of June 13th, featuring the blessing of the lilies and the entrustment of children to the Saint.
• The procession through the district streets, one of the most attended moments, winding through numerous city roads before returning to the church.

The Peace Bell Tower

Among the most striking elements of the festival is the extraordinary reopening of the Peace Bell Tower, the tallest in Abruzzo. Standing over seventy meters high, it was built in 1970 and inaugurated by Pope Paul VI, who switched on its lights via satellite from the Vatican. During the festival, members of the Abruzzo Bell Ringers Association guide visitors, explaining the unique bell-ringing concert.

Music and entertainment

Alongside the religious aspect, the festival offers a rich secular program with free concerts in the square, band performances, shows, and social gatherings that animate the district's evenings until late, attracting families and visitors from across the city and the neighboring Frentania towns.

A Lanciano tradition

The Feast of Saint Anthony of Padua is much more than a religious recurrence: it is a living expression of the identity of the district and the community of Lanciano, capable of weaving together faith, historical memory, and a festive spirit in a ritual that renews itself every year with the same intensity.