Feast of the Most Holy Saviour (Triflisco)

An ancient devotion on the banks of the Volturno

The Feast of the Most Holy Saviour is the most anticipated event of the year for Triflisco, a village in the municipality of Bellona, in the province of Caserta (Campania). The patronal feast is traditionally celebrated on the first Sunday of August and has roots that go back much further than the parish itself.

According to local tradition, the cult dates back to the year 841, when the inhabitants of ancient Capua, destroyed by the Saracens of Khalfùn, found refuge in the city of Sicopoli: Bishop Paolino then dedicated the cathedral to the Most Holy Saviour, placing the community under his protection. In Triflisco, the Saint was originally venerated in a small chapel near the watermills; the community was elevated to a parish in 1950, and the current church dates back to the following years.

The triduum and the eve

The festivities open with a triduum: each evening, Holy Mass precedes moments of community gathering on the church square, featuring entertainment, tastings of local products, and the customary charity market. There is no shortage of luminarie (artistic light displays), the lighting of the festive decorations, and musical evenings that enliven the district until late at night. The most solemn moment of the eve is the enthronement of the statue of the Saint, greeted by the festive ringing of bells and fireworks.

The Patron Saint's Sunday

The main day begins at dawn with the traditional launch of paper bombs, followed by a grand brass band concert that travels through the streets of the village. In the morning, the solemn Eucharistic Celebration is held, accompanied by the parish choir. In the early afternoon, the solemn procession begins: the statue of the Most Holy Saviour, placed on farm wagons and tractors decorated for the occasion, is carried through all the streets of Triflisco, accompanied by civil and religious authorities and a crowd of faithful.

• Dawn: launch of paper bombs and festive wake-up call
• Morning: brass band concert through the streets and solemn Mass
• Afternoon: procession of the statue on farm wagons
• Evening: passing of the Saint to the bearers and blessings
• Night: return to the church with a pyromusical show

A community rite

The procession makes stops at places dear to local devotion, including the small chapel of the Madonna delle Grazie and the Piazza dei Mulini, where the statue passes into the hands of the bearers. The return to the church, around midnight, is greeted by a striking pyromusical show that illuminates the sky over the Volturno river. Everything is made possible by the Festivities Committee, which raises funds throughout the year through fairs, festivals, lotteries, and voluntary donations: a collective effort that keeps one of the most defining traditions of the Bellona community alive.