Feast of Saint Camillus de Lellis

The patronal feast of Bucchianico

In the heart of Abruzzo, the small town of Bucchianico, in the province of Chieti, celebrates the Feast of Saint Camillus de Lellis every year on July 14th and 15th, honoring its most illustrious son and patron saint. Camillus de Lellis was born here in 1550. He founded the Order of Ministers of the Infirm (the Camillians) and was proclaimed the universal patron of the sick, hospitals, and healthcare workers in 1746, later becoming the patron of military healthcare as well. This patronal feast is much more than a local event; it is a gathering that draws faithful, pilgrims, and healthcare professionals from across the entire region.

The Novena and celebrations at the Sanctuary

Celebrations begin with the Novena in the days leading up to the feast, featuring moments of prayer and reflection at the Sanctuary of Saint Camillus de Lellis, built on the site of the saint's birthplace. On July 14th, the saint's liturgical day, a solemn mass is held, followed by a procession with the patron's statue and relics, which travels from the Castellara district to the sanctuary. The community participates in large numbers, often accompanied by brass bands and an honor guard from the National Carabinieri Association.

The March of Charity

One of the most intense and heartfelt moments is the March of Charity, a ten-kilometer nocturnal pilgrimage on foot connecting Chieti to Bucchianico, organized by UNITALSI together with the Camillians. The procession of the faithful departs from the Church of San Domenico in Chieti after evening mass and arrives at the Bucchianico sanctuary at night, concluding with a prayer vigil. The march, reaching its 34th edition in 2026, symbolically retraces the steps of Saint Camillus and attracts hundreds of participants each year.

Tradition, faith, and community

Alongside religious rites, the festival is enriched by civic and devotional moments: the commemoration of the Torch of Charity, a perpetual flame burning in the sanctuary's crypt; the opening of a temporary post office with a commemorative philatelic cancellation in Piazza San Camillus de Lellis; and the presence of civil and military authorities. The Feast of Saint Camillus de Lellis thus represents a heritage of faith and identity for Bucchianico and all of Abruzzo, renewed for centuries around the figure of the saint of charity.