Feast of Saints Ciro and Giovanni
The procession of the barefoot fishermen and the San Ciro Fair in the heart of the Sorrento Peninsula
About Feast of Saints Ciro and Giovanni
The day Vico Equense stands still
January 31st is no ordinary date in Vico Equense, a town in the Metropolitan City of Naples overlooking the gulf at the gateway to the Sorrento Peninsula. It is the day of Saints Ciro and Giovanni, the community's patron saints, and the entire city organizes itself around this event: shops, schools, offices, and families follow the rhythm of the celebrations. The bond between Vico Equense and its two martyrs has been documented since at least the 15th century, when notary records of the time already cited the local cult.
Who were Ciro and Giovanni
Saint Ciro was a doctor from Alexandria, Egypt, and Saint Giovanni was a soldier from Edessa: both were martyrs of the early Christian centuries. In Vico Equense, devotion to Ciro is the most widespread due to his reputation as a healer and his care for the poor; this tradition also gave rise to the distribution of Saint Ciro's oil, used to anoint the sick. In 2003, the city solemnly commemorated the 1700th anniversary of the two saints' martyrdom.
The barefoot fishermen
The gesture that strikes those witnessing the festival for the first time is that of the fishermen carrying the statues on their shoulders while walking barefoot in the cold of late January. The two images, made of wood and papier-mâché, leave the parish church and cross the city supported by those who make their living from the sea: an ancient vow, repeated year after year, which tells the story of the relationship between the community and its protectors better than any document.
The day, hour by hour
The parish church opens at the first light of dawn and remains open until late at night; Holy Masses follow one another throughout the morning with constant participation from the faithful. In the early afternoon, the Brass Band accompanies city officials to the Town Hall for the presentation of the candles, a symbolic gesture of homage from the civil city to its patrons. At 3:30 PM, the solemn procession begins, involving Third Orders, Confraternities, the Archconfraternity, Oratories, and civil and military authorities in full uniform. Upon return, a Eucharistic concelebration by the priests of the Pastoral Unit is held, followed in the evening by the solemn singing of Vespers with Eucharistic blessing.
The procession route
- Departure from the parish church of Saints Ciro and Giovanni and passage through Piazza Marconi
- Via Caccioppoli, with a stop at the hospital: blessing of the healthcare staff and prayer for the sick
- Via Santa Sofia, Via Nicotera, and Via Santa Maria del Toro up to the entrance into the Sanctuary of Santa Maria del Toro, with the offering of incense by the Carmelite fathers
- Circumvesuviana station, Via Filangieri with a stop at the Starace chapel, Via Canale
- Piazza Umberto I and Via San Ciro, with the return to the parish and the final blessing on the churchyard
The fair and the civil festival
Alongside the religious dimension, January 31st is also the day of the San Ciro Fair: in 2026, the city center hosted 115 stalls from all over Italy, featuring sweets, handicrafts, clothing, and local products. It is the popular side of the festival, the one that transforms a patronal anniversary into a day of meeting and exchange for the entire coast.
The summer solemnity in August
Vico Equense celebrates its patrons twice a year. The winter anniversary on January 31st is joined by the summer solemnity, linked to the arrival in the city of the relics of Saint Ciro, donated by the Jesuits in the 17th century. The celebration, now held in late August, includes a mass with the Archbishop, the sacrament of the anointing of the sick, a new procession with balconies decorated with embroidered drapes along the streets, fireworks over the sea, and a party in the square with food stands.
Around the festival: Vico Equense and the coast
Those arriving for the festival will find a town worth visiting at any time of the year: the old village perched on tuff rock, the Church of the Santissima Annunziata overlooking the sea, the beaches of Marina di Equa and Marina di Seiano, the farmhouses of Monte Faito, and a gastronomic tradition famous throughout Campania, from pizza by the meter to the cheeses of the Lattari Mountains. Its location, halfway between Castellammare di Stabia and Sorrento, makes it a convenient base for discovering the Sorrento Peninsula outside the busiest months.
Feast of Saints Ciro and Giovanni — edition 2026
A January 31st of faith and identity
The 2026 edition of the Feast of Saints Ciro and Giovanni confirmed the value this day holds for Vico Equense: a city that, as written by the local press, «stops and walks united behind its own history». The parish church remained open from 5:30 AM to 10:00 PM, and Eucharistic celebrations followed one another every hour from 6:00 AM until noon, with constant participation from the faithful of all ages.
The 3:30 PM procession
At 3:15 PM, the Brass Band accompanied city officials to the Town Hall for the traditional presentation of the candles. A quarter of an hour later, the wooden and papier-mâché statues of the two martyrs left the parish on the shoulders of barefoot fishermen, followed by Third Orders, Confraternities, the Archconfraternity, Oratories, and civil and military authorities in full uniform. At 4:00 PM, the procession entered the Sanctuary of Santa Maria del Toro, along the traditional historic route touching Piazza Marconi, the hospital, Via Santa Sofia, the Circumvesuviana station, the Starace chapel, Piazza Umberto I, and Via San Ciro. The procession was broadcast live by the local news outlet Positanonews.
The fair and the rest of the day
On the civil side, the center of Vico Equense hosted a large fair with 115 stalls from all over Italy, which enlivened the streets of the municipality in the province of Naples throughout the day. Upon the return of the statues, a concelebration by the priests of the Pastoral Unit was held, followed in the evening by the solemn singing of Vespers with Eucharistic blessing.
Programme Feast of Saints Ciro and Giovanni 2026
Saturday, January 31, 2026
- 05:30 AM — Opening of the parish church of Saints Ciro and Giovanni (open until 10:00 PM)
- 06:00 AM to 12:00 PM — Holy Masses every hour
- 03:15 PM — The Brass Band accompanies the authorities to the Town Hall for the presentation of the candles
- 03:30 PM — Departure of the solemn procession from the parish church
- 04:00 PM — Entrance into the Sanctuary of Santa Maria del Toro with the offering of incense by the Carmelite fathers
- Upon return — Eucharistic concelebration by the priests of the Pastoral Unit
- In the evening — Solemn singing of Vespers with Eucharistic blessing
Procession route: Parish church, Piazza Marconi, Via Caccioppoli with a stop at the hospital for the blessing of healthcare staff and prayer for the sick, Via Santa Sofia, Via Nicotera, Via Santa Maria del Toro with entrance to the sanctuary, Circumvesuviana station, Via Filangieri with a stop at the Starace chapel, Via Canale, Piazza Umberto I, Via San Ciro, and return to the parish with a final blessing on the churchyard.
Fair: All day long, 115 stalls from all over Italy along the streets of the city center.
Summer solemnity: The second anniversary of the patrons, linked to the arrival of the relics, is scheduled in the city center for August 22 and 23, 2026.
Highlights Feast of Saints Ciro and Giovanni 2026
- The wooden and papier-mâché statues of Saint Ciro and Saint Giovanni carried on the shoulders of barefoot fishermen in the January cold
- The presentation of the candles at the Town Hall at 3:15 PM, with the Brass Band accompanying the authorities
- The procession's stop at the hospital, with the blessing of healthcare staff and prayer for the sick
- The entrance into the Sanctuary of Santa Maria del Toro with the offering of incense by the Carmelite fathers
- Third Orders, Confraternities, the Archconfraternity, and civil and military authorities in full uniform following the statues
- The fair with 115 stalls from all over Italy along the city streets
- The solemn singing of Vespers with Eucharistic blessing to close the day
Prices Feast of Saints Ciro and Giovanni 2026
Practical information — Feast of Saints Ciro and Giovanni
How to get there
By train: The Circumvesuviana line (Naples-Sorrento) stops at the Vico Equense station, a few minutes' walk from the center and the procession route. This is the most convenient option on the day of the festival, when city traffic is heavily restricted.
By car: Take the A3 Naples-Salerno motorway, exit at Castellammare di Stabia, then follow the SS145 Sorrentina state road towards Sorrento. On January 31st, the municipality implements a dedicated traffic plan with parking bans and road closures along the streets affected by the procession and the fair: it is advisable to leave the car in the parking lots above the center and continue on foot.
Hours and access
Masses are held from early morning; the procession departs at 3:30 PM from the parish church of Saints Ciro and Giovanni. Participation in all celebrations is free and open to all, as is access to the fair.
Tips
- Dress in layers: the procession takes place outdoors in the middle of winter and lasts several hours.
- To follow the most evocative moment, position yourself in Piazza Umberto I or along Via San Ciro when the statues return.
- Those wishing to combine the festival with a weekend on the coast will find various facilities open in Vico Equense and Seiano even in the low season.
Information
Pro Loco Vico Equense, Via San Ciro 2, 80069 Vico Equense (NA) — tel. +39 339 1548244, [email protected]. Liturgical program available at the Parish of Saints Ciro and Giovanni and on the official channels of the Municipality of Vico Equense.
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Where does it take place — Feast of Saints Ciro and Giovanni
Chiesa parrocchiale dei Santi Ciro e Giovanni e centro storico
Via San Ciro, 80069 Vico Equense