Feast of the Patron Saints Peter and Paul
Agropoli's patronal feast featuring processions, brass bands, and a pyromusical show at the Castle
About Saints Peter and Paul Agropoli
The most heartfelt festival of the Agropoli summer
June 29th is a date no one in Agropoli forgets: the solemnity of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul, the city's patrons. In the Municipality of Agropoli, in the Province of Salerno, this anniversary is not just a liturgical appointment but the true watershed of the summer: when the illuminations light up the main street and the band plays its first marches, the town knows the season has begun. It is no coincidence that the patronal feast is considered the highlight of the city's summer calendar, included every year in the «Vivi Agropoli» program.
Devotion, sea, and memory
The bond between Agropoli and the two Apostles is ancient and has maritime roots: local tradition links the protection of the Patrons to the history of the city overlooking the Tyrrhenian Sea, starting from the famous Turkish assault of 1630, remembered in popular memory as a danger averted through the intercession of the Saints. Hence the dual soul of the festival: on one hand, popular piety, with the novena, the Holy Rosary, and the peregrinatio of the statues that visit other churches and places of suffering, such as the civil hospital, in the days leading up to the feast; on the other, folklore, with stalls, artistic illuminations, and fireworks reflecting on the water.
The civic parade and the keys to the city
One of the most characteristic moments is the civic parade: the Mayor and the municipal administration leave the Town Hall with the banner and the keys to the city, accompanied by the historical group of the Flag-wavers of the Feuds of Cilento and Vallo di Diano, to reach the Mother Church. There, the evocative handover of the keys to the Patron Saints takes place, a symbolic gesture that entrusts Agropoli to their protection for the coming year. It is a ritual that unites institutions, the parish, and citizens in a single scene, much loved by photographers.
The procession of June 29th
On the day of the solemnity, the bells of all the parishes ring out from the early hours of the morning. Holy Masses follow one another in the Mother Church of Saints Peter and Paul, in the historic center, until the solemn celebration in the evening, presided over by the Bishop of the Diocese of Vallo della Lucania. Following this, the venerated images travel through the main streets of the center and the alleys of the ancient village, accompanied by the «City of Agropoli» Grand Concert Band: a slow procession, punctuated by symphonic marches, which passes under arches of lights and gathers the participation of the entire community from their balconies.
The pyromusical show at the Castle
The grand finale is the pyromusical show set up in the area of the Angevin-Aragonese Castle, the fortress that dominates the promontory: the fireworks trace the profile of the village and reflect on the sea, with a view from the beach and the tourist port that becomes one of the strongest memories of the Cilento summer. In some editions, when bad weather forces it, the procession and pyromusical show are rescheduled for the following days, a sign of how much the city does not want to give up these two events.
Music, theater, and dance in the squares
Around the religious program, a widespread civil calendar develops, hosted mainly in Piazza Vittorio Veneto and the small square of the Mother Church: performances by local dance schools, evenings of Cilento and Campanian folk music, and traditional theater shows dedicated to the two Saints. The tone is that of a well-organized village festival: free, outdoors, suitable for families, with the public moving on foot between the port, the main street, and the historic center.
Why come
- An authentic patronal feast in Campania, not built for tourists but lived by residents
- The ancient village of Agropoli, with the Castle and the staircase over the sea, as a natural backdrop
- Bands, artistic illuminations, and pyromusical shows: the classic repertoire of the Southern festival, of excellent quality
- The possibility of combining the festival with a day at the sea in Cilento, between Trentova and the city beaches
Saints Peter and Paul Agropoli — edition 2026
An eleven-day edition
The 2026 patronal feast of Agropoli spanned eleven days, from June 24 to July 4, intertwining the liturgical calendar of the Mother Church with the civil program of the Municipality. During the days of the peregrinatio, the statues of Saints Peter and Paul visited the Sacred Heart Church and the civil hospital, while local dance schools took turns in Piazza Vittorio Veneto.
Traditional music and popular theater
June 27 was the evening of folk music with Gerardo Amarante's «Spaccapaese Tour 2026»; on the 28th, in the small square of the Mother Church, the traditional music and theater show «Assavulà – Dui Santi e ciento storie» told the Agropoli devotion in dialect. On the same day, the civic parade, with the banner, the keys to the city, and the Flag-wavers of the Feuds of Cilento and Vallo di Diano, crossed the center to the Mother Church.
The postponement to July 4
On Monday, June 29, the festive bells and Holy Masses marked the solemnity, culminating in the 7:00 PM celebration presided over by Monsignor Vincenzo Calvosa, Bishop of Vallo della Lucania. Adverse weather conditions, however, forced the postponement of the solemn procession and the pyromusical show: both were recovered on Saturday, July 4, with the 7:00 PM mass in the church of Saints Peter and Paul, the procession — also accompanied by the statue of Saint Francis — and the fireworks at 11:30 PM at the Angevin-Aragonese Castle.
Programme Saints Peter and Paul Agropoli 2026
Wednesday, June 24
- Peregrinatio of the Patrons' statues: reception at 7:00 PM in the Sacred Heart Church, followed by Holy Mass
Thursday, June 25
- 6:30 PM – visit of the statues to the Civil Hospital
- Piazza Vittorio Veneto: dance performance by ASD Floppy Dance
Friday, June 26
- Return of the statues to the Mother Church, novena and Holy Rosary
- 7:30 PM – biblical conference on the figures of the two Apostles
- Piazza Vittorio Veneto: dance performance by SSD Dirty Dancing
Saturday, June 27
- Piazza Vittorio Veneto: traditional music with Gerardo Amarante's «Spaccapaese Tour 2026»
Sunday, June 28
- 6:00 PM – civic parade from the Town Hall with the Mayor and the municipal administration, the banner, and the keys to the city, accompanied by the Historical Group of Flag-wavers of the Feuds of Cilento and Vallo di Diano; handover of the keys to the Patron Saints in the Mother Church
- Mother Church Square: «Assavulà – Dui Santi e ciento storie», traditional music and theater show
Monday, June 29 – Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul
- 8:00 AM – festive bells in all the city's parishes
- Holy Masses in the Mother Church at 7:00 AM, 8:30 AM, and 10:30 AM
- 7:00 PM – Solemn Mass presided over by Monsignor Vincenzo Calvosa, Bishop of Vallo della Lucania, concelebrated by the parish priests of Agropoli
- Following – solemn procession of the venerated images through the main streets of the center and the historic center, with the «City of Agropoli» Grand Concert Band; artistic illuminations by the Cilento Lights company of Monteforte Cilento
- Around 11:30 PM – pyromusical show by the Migliorino company in the area of the Angevin-Aragonese Castle
- Shuttle service from Piazza Prof. Paolo Serra to the Mother Church (8:00 AM-11:30 AM and 11:30 AM-6:00 PM)
Tuesday, June 30
- 5:30 PM – Holy Mass at the city cemetery in the presence of the Patrons' statues: conclusion of religious festivities
Friday, July 3
- Piazza Vittorio Veneto: dance evening with Terry Dance ASD
Saturday, July 4 – recovery due to bad weather
- 7:00 PM – Holy Mass in the church of Saints Peter and Paul
- Following – solemn procession postponed from June 29, with the Patron Saints and Saint Francis
- 11:30 PM – pyromusical show at the Angevin-Aragonese Castle
- Charity lottery draw at the church of Saints Peter and Paul
Highlights Saints Peter and Paul Agropoli 2026
- Solemn mass on June 29 presided over by Bishop Monsignor Vincenzo Calvosa
- Civic parade with banner, keys to the city, and Flag-wavers of the Feuds of Cilento and Vallo di Diano
- Procession through the historic center with the «City of Agropoli» Grand Concert Band
- Pyromusical show at the Angevin-Aragonese Castle (recovered on July 4)
- Gerardo Amarante's «Spaccapaese Tour 2026» in Piazza Vittorio Veneto
- «Assavulà – Dui Santi e ciento storie», traditional music and theater
Prices Saints Peter and Paul Agropoli 2026
Practical information — Saints Peter and Paul Agropoli
How to get there
By train: Agropoli-Castellabate station, on the Naples-Salerno-Reggio Calabria line (Cilento side), connected to the center by urban buses and taxis. By car: A2 del Mediterraneo motorway, Battipaglia exit, then SS18 south towards Agropoli. By plane: Salerno-Costa d'Amalfi or Naples-Capodichino airport, then train or rental car.
Parking and getting around
During the days of the festival, the historic center is pedestrianized and very crowded: it is advisable to leave the car in the parking lots in the port area or in Piazza Prof. Paolo Serra and continue on foot. On the day of the solemnity, a shuttle service to the Mother Church is activated.
Costs
Celebrations, civic parade, procession, square shows, and the pyromusical show are free to attend. Any charity lotteries support parish activities.
Tips
For the pyromusical show, the best panoramic points are the San Marco seafront, the tourist port, and the historic center staircase: arrive at least an hour early. Wear comfortable shoes for the uphill alleys and book hotels and B&Bs in advance, as the end of June coincides with the start of the beach season.
Information
Municipality of Agropoli, Piazza della Repubblica 3, tel. +39 0974 827411; Mother Church Parish of Saints Peter and Paul, historic center.
Festival-goer photos
No photos yet. Share yours!
Share your photos
5 photos max, 5 MB per photo (JPG, PNG, WebP)
Noticed an error or missing information?
Help us keep this listing up to date. Every proposal is verified by our team before publication.
Festival-goer reviews
No rating yet — be the first!
No comments yet. Be the first!
Were you there?
Share your experience with the community.
Where does it take place — Saints Peter and Paul Agropoli
Chiesa Madre dei Santi Pietro e Paolo, centro storico e Castello angioino-aragonese
Piazza Umberto I, 84043 Agropoli