Festa di San Savino

The patron saint's festival of Gualdo

The Festa di San Savino is the main event in the calendar for Gualdo, a small hillside village in the province of Macerata, in the Marche region. Situated at about 650 metres above sea level between the Tennacola and Salino valleys, with views towards the Sibillini Mountains and, on clear days, as far as Monte Conero, Gualdo celebrates its patron saint with a festival that has united religious and popular dimensions for generations.

When it takes place

Although San Savino is liturgically venerated on July 11th, the patron saint's festival in Gualdo follows a mobile date: it is traditionally held on the first Saturday and Sunday after Ferragosto. For this reason, the dates change from year to year, but the festival always falls in the second half of August, when the village is repopulated by those who have emigrated and return for the occasion.

San Savino, patron saint of the village

The bond between Gualdo and San Savino is preserved in the Church of San Savino, a building whose origins date back to the late 13th century and which was rebuilt in the 18th century in neoclassical style, with a Greek cross plan and a low dome, designed by the Swiss architect Pietro Maggi. Inside, valuable works are preserved, including a panel painting of the Madonna and Child with Saints John the Baptist and Savino, and a depiction of the Last Supper. The church is the spiritual heart of the festival, from which the procession begins.

Atmosphere and tradition

The Festa di San Savino retains the genuine character of the patron saint's festivals in small Marche villages: the procession with the statue of the saint through the streets of the historic centre, liturgical celebrations, but also moments of convivial gathering organised by the Parish Committee of San Savino with the collaboration of the community. Food stalls, music, and evening entertainment accompany the two days, transforming the village into a meeting point for the entire valley.

A village to discover

The festival is also an opportunity to visit Gualdo, which retains parts of its medieval walls from the 10th-14th centuries and a highly evocative panoramic position in the heart of the Macerata region. Those who visit the village during these days will find a simple and authentic welcome, typical of the inland communities of the Marche.