Feast of Saint Mark the Evangelist

A seaside festival in the heart of Cilento

The Feast of Saint Mark the Evangelist is the patronal festival of San Marco, the seaside village and main port of the Municipality of Castellabate, in the Province of Salerno, located in the heart of the Campania region and the Cilento National Park. It is celebrated every year on April 25th, the liturgical day of the evangelist, but the festivities span several days and involve the entire community: the parish, the festival committee, local associations, fishermen, and families who return to the village specifically for this occasion.

It is a festival that blends two souls: the devotional one, consisting of novenas, solemn masses, vespers, and processions, and the popular one, with a fair along the streets, market stalls, rides, live music, and a pyrotechnic show. For San Marco di Castellabate, this is effectively the event that symbolically opens the season: after the winter, the port fills up again, the illuminations light up the seafront, and the village regains its summer rhythm.

The sea procession from Pozzillo to Punta Licosa

The heart of the April 25th celebration is the sea procession, one of the most evocative rites on the entire Cilento coast. After the land procession through the village streets, the statue of the saint is entrusted to local fishermen and embarked: the pageant continues by sea along the coast of Castellabate, from Pozzillo to Punta Licosa, the promontory linked to the legend of the siren Leucosia. The port's boats line up behind the main vessel, with civil and religious authorities, confraternities, and hundreds of faithful following from the shore and the pier.

This is not merely a tourist spectacle: it is the way a seafaring community asks for protection for those who work on the water. Those witnessing it for the first time often share the same impression—a suspended moment where the noise of the festival fades, leaving only the sound of boat engines and hymns.

The festival program

The calendar opens with the display and blessing of the saint's painting and the preparatory novena. Then, the main events begin:

• Eve (April 24th): morning mass, offering of the lamp, solemn vespers, and relic procession; in the evening, a concert in Piazza Passaro.
• Patronal Day (April 25th): morning masses, solemn celebration, late afternoon mass followed by the land and sea procession.
• Evening of April 25th: folk music in Piazza Don G. Comunale and, at midnight, the fireworks display over the sea.
• April 26th: morning masses, celebration at the cemetery with the saint's statue, and in the afternoon, the ViviSanMarco Palio.

The ViviSanMarco Palio

Created to extend the festivities beyond the patronal day, the ViviSanMarco Palio is a day of traditional games organized by the ViviSanMarco Cultural Association. Eight localities in the municipal area and surroundings—San Marco, Santa Maria, Castellabate, Ogliastro, Licosa, Lago, San Pietro, and Annunziata—compete in tradition-inspired challenges, featuring a pageant, banners, costumes, and the blessing of the teams. The races take place between Corso Vittorio Emanuele and the port area, and it is arguably the moment when the festival feels most vibrant and familial.

San Marco di Castellabate, the village

San Marco has just over a thousand inhabitants and preserves the remains of a Greco-Roman port and an extensive necropolis: history here is literally under your feet. The parish church dedicated to Saint Mark the Evangelist dates back to the early 20th century, while the current port was built in 1954 and hosts fishing boats and pleasure craft. The coastline, awarded the Blue Flag, alternates between sandy beaches, cliffs, and small coves: those arriving for the festival find the village still peaceful, without the August crowds.

Tips for visitors

• April 25th is a public holiday throughout Italy: it is advisable to book accommodation in advance, as the long weekend brings many visitors to the Cilento coast.
• To get a good view of the sea procession, the pier and the stretch of promenade towards Punta Licosa are the best spots; arrive well in advance.
• The fair occupies several streets in the center and traffic is diverted: it is best to leave your car in the parking lots indicated by the Municipality of Castellabate and continue on foot.
• Evening by the sea in April: a light jacket is almost always necessary, especially if you stay until the midnight fireworks.