Feast of San Felice in Pincis (Patronal Feast)

The Patronal Feast of Cimitile

In the small town of Cimitile, in the province of Naples, the Feast of San Felice in Pincis is the most anticipated religious and popular event of the year. It is celebrated in January in the heart of one of Italy's most important Paleochristian sites: the Cimitile basilicas complex, the burial place of the Saint and a pilgrimage destination since ancient times. The festival unites the community's devotion, the memory of a centuries-old tradition, and the pride of a town that finds its identity in its patron saint.

Who was San Felice?

San Felice was a priest born in Nola in the 3rd century, documented in the writings of Paulinus of Nola. He lived during the persecutions of emperors Decius and Valerian, enduring arrests and trials that tradition links to miraculous interventions. Upon the bishop's death, the people acclaimed him as the new bishop, but he declined out of humility. He died on January 14th, and around his tomb, the great basilica complex developed, which still gives Cimitile the title of "City of the Paleochristian Basilicas."

The 'Diana' and the dawn band

From the early hours of the morning, bells announce the feast day. The locals, awake from the first light of dawn, are accompanied by the festive notes of the marching band as it travels through the town streets, punctuated by the traditional "diana"—a series of firework salutes that once greeted pilgrims arriving from across Campania and beyond. It is the opening of a day entirely dedicated to the Saint.

The procession and fireworks

The most solemn moment is the procession of the image of San Felice, carried on the shoulders of the faithful through all the streets and alleys of the town. In every district, and particularly in the Galluccio and Pizzone areas, the patron's passage is greeted by impressive pyrotechnic displays: a tradition that has made Cimitile a hub for Campanian pyrotechnics. The festival takes place between January 14th, the main liturgical day, and the octave, celebrated on the first Sunday thereafter with a grand procession and fireworks.

Novena, vigil, and chants

The celebrations begin with a novena, featuring the short procession of the "sagliut'e san Felice," the ascent of the Saint that commemorates the transfer of the statue from the basilica to the parish church. On the eve of the feast, children sing during Mass, while the faithful chant the hymn of San Felice in the ancient Paleochristian basilicas, followed by a torchlight procession that concludes with a vigil in the parish.

An identity-defining event for Cimitile and Campania

More than just a patronal feast, the celebration of San Felice in Pincis is a collective ritual that strengthens the bonds of the Cimitile community and draws visitors from across the Campania region. Faith, music, popular traditions, and pyrotechnic art blend together in one of the most characteristic religious events in the Nola area.