Feast of Saint Mauro and Saint Nicholas of Bari

The patronal feast of the village of Guilmi

In the first days of May, the small village of Guilmi, perched at 647 meters above sea level in the Alto Vastese region of the Chieti province, gathers to honor its saints during the Feast of Saint Mauro and Saint Nicholas of Bari. Saint Nicholas is the village's patron saint, and his feast day on May 5th is the most anticipated event of the year for the local community: a blend of religious devotion, brass band music, and ancient rural customs that bring the alleys, stairways, and medieval walls of the historic center to life.

Two days of devotion and tradition

The festival spans two distinct days. The first is dedicated to Saint Mauro, featuring a traditional fair that fills the village streets and a questua (collection) accompanied by a brass band, which travels through the districts to gather offerings and distribute San Nicola taralli, unleavened bread rings prepared specifically for the occasion. The second day is the heart of the celebrations in honor of Saint Nicholas: a solemn mass, a procession following the statues of the two saints through the village streets, and fireworks that mark the most solemn moments.

The conche parade and the riffa

The most distinctive feature of the festival is the conche parade, showcasing authentic works of manual craftsmanship. Copper vessels are filled with wheat and decorated with "conocchie"—structures hand-woven from reeds and covered with colorful sweets, as well as local products like the famous Guilmi ventricina salami. After the parade, the conche compete for the title of the most beautiful, while in the afternoon, the riffa takes place in the square: a fun public auction where the contents of the conche (sweets, oil, wine, ventricina) are sold to the highest bidder to help fund the festivities.

A village of Abruzzo traditions

Guilmi is a small municipality of just over four hundred inhabitants, known throughout the Alto Vastese for its gastronomic specialties, particularly its sausage and ventricina, which also have their own dedicated festival each year. The Feast of Saint Mauro and Saint Nicholas is an occasion for the entire community, including those who have emigrated elsewhere, to return and reunite in the village to renew an ancient bond rooted in faith, music, and the flavors of Abruzzo's rural tradition.