Feast of Saint Gratus - Patron Saint of Aosta

Saint Gratus, patron saint of Aosta and the Aosta Valley

The Feast of Saint Gratus is the patronal feast of Aosta and the entire diocese of the Aosta Valley. Saint Gratus, Bishop of Aosta in the 5th century, is one of the most venerated figures in the region: churches and chapels in numerous Aosta Valley villages are dedicated to him, and his feast day, set for September 7th, is felt as a moment of collective identity far beyond the city limits.

The reliquary casket, a jewel of Gothic art

The Saint's relics are kept in the Aosta Cathedral in a precious medieval reliquary casket, a masterpiece of Gothic goldsmithing. The work was begun by Guglielmo di Locana and completed by the Flemish goldsmith Jean de Malines: a treasure that is carried in procession once a year, on the feast day.

Two days of celebrations

The festivities traditionally span two days. The eve, September 6th, includes an evening Eucharistic celebration and, from the church of Pila, the start of a night pilgrimage for young people to the hermitage of Saint Gratus, through the woods, accompanied by prayer. September 7th, the patron saint's day, is the central event: the solemn concelebration presided over by the Bishop of Aosta in the Cathedral and the procession with the relics through the streets of the city center.

A rite that unites the diocese

The procession involves faithful from all over the Aosta Valley. By tradition, young people from the parish of Fontainemore accompany the procession in traditional costume, armed with sabers, in one of the most characteristic rites of Aosta Valley popular religiosity.