Feast of Saint John the Baptist (Procession of the Cente)

A patronal feast in the heart of Cilento

Every year, on June 24th, the small hamlet of Eredita, in the municipality of Ogliastro Cilento (Salerno province, Campania), celebrates its patron saint, Saint John the Baptist, with a festival that weaves together liturgy, collective memory, and devotional craftsmanship. Nestled among the olive groves of the Cilento hills, just a few kilometers from the sea, the village fills with families returning from afar for the occasion: it is the time of year when the entire community reconnects and shares its stories.

The Cente, votive boats offered to the saint

The feature that makes this festival unique is the Cente, considered one of the oldest expressions of Cilento's folk religion. These are votive structures with a characteristic boat shape, richly decorated and offered to the patron saint as ex-votos in a sign of devotion, gratitude, or to seek protection. On the day of the feast, the Cente are carried in procession alongside the statue of Saint John the Baptist, creating a ritual that unites spirituality, tradition, and collective identity.

Their creation is primarily entrusted to the women of the village, guardians of knowledge passed down from generation to generation: among them are Luigia Esposito, Luisa Marzocchi, Giovanna Abbruzzese, and Giovanna Ricci, who have been working for years to keep this artisanal practice alive. According to local tradition, the origin of the Cente dates back to the presence of Basilian monks who settled in Cilento around the year 1000, whose Eastern spirituality intertwined with the local farming customs: an intangible cultural heritage now recognized as part of the Cilento identity.

The Flight of the Angel

The most anticipated moment of the day is the Flight of the Angel, a sacred representation of ancient tradition. A local child, dressed as an angel with a white robe and wings, descends while suspended in the air on a rope for about thirty meters toward the church. During the descent, he makes nine stops, and at each one, he sings a quatrain dedicated to the life of the saint and his role as the precursor of Christ; at the end, he places a small bouquet of flowers at the feet of the statue. The faithful watch in deep, respectful silence, broken only by the applause that greets the end of each stanza. The ritual is repeated on August 29th, the feast of the Martyrdom of Saint John the Baptist.

How the festival unfolds

• Eve: Moments of prayer and, according to the village tradition, the procession of the saint's relic.
• Morning of June 24th: Solemn holy mass, followed by the procession along the main streets of the hamlet.
• The Cente: The votive boats accompany the patron saint's statue, carried by the families who commissioned or created them.
• Flight of the Angel: The sacred representation concludes the morning procession.
• Evening festivities: Live music and entertainment in the square, with events that vary from year to year.

History and legend of the village

Eredita is said to have been founded between the 10th and 11th centuries, when Saracen raids along the coast pushed the populations to seek refuge in the hilly hinterland; tradition holds that the Bishop of Paestum fled carrying the Tabernacle with him, giving rise to the settlement. A deeply rooted legend tells of a Saracen raid and the encounter between the leader of the raiders and a shepherd, identified as Saint John the Baptist: in a sign of respect and gratitude, the commander supposedly placed his golden belt on the saint's statue. The versions handed down vary in detail, but all confirm how deeply the figure of the Baptist is intertwined with the village's identity.

The village, the museum, and the territory

In Eredita, the memory of the festival is also preserved by the Kòmai Diffused Museum, which promotes the historical, artistic, and anthropological heritage of the area by offering a contemporary reading of ancient traditions. Around the village lies a part of Cilento less traveled by beach tourism: olive groves, rural churches, small historic centers, and a gastronomy of extra virgin olive oil, white figs, and homemade pasta. The festival is the best opportunity to discover this more intimate dimension of the province of Salerno.

Why it is worth attending

This is not an event staged for the public: the participation of the residents remains the true driving force. Visitors from outside will find a welcoming community and a rare, deeply identity-driven ritual that restores the profound sense of inland Cilento.