Festa di San Terenzio

The patronal festival of Gradara

The Festa di San Terenzio is the patronal festival of the Municipality of Gradara, a splendid medieval village in the province of Pesaro and Urbino, in the Marche region, famous for its Malatesta Fortress and the legend of Paolo and Francesca told by Dante in the 5th canto of the Inferno. Every year, on September 24th, the community gathers to honor its patron saint in a day that intertwines faith, tradition, and village life.

Who was San Terenzio

San Terenzio is venerated as a martyr and, according to tradition, the first bishop of Pesaro. His feast day falls on September 24th, the day on which—according to the passio that has come down to us—he is said to have suffered martyrdom in the second half of the 3rd century, during the anti-Christian persecutions. His figure is deeply rooted in the Pesaro territory, of which he is the patron saint along with the city of Pesaro: in Gradara, popular devotion has elected him the guardian of the village and its people.

The procession and celebrations

The heart of the day is the solemn procession, during which the reliquary containing the saint's relics is carried in procession along the streets of the historic center, followed by the faithful. The religious celebrations, including the Holy Mass in honor of the patron saint, punctuate the program along with moments of gathering and festivity that liven up the village from morning till evening.

A village celebrating

• Religious celebrations and procession with the reliquary of San Terenzio
• Moments of community and tradition in the streets of the historic center
• Unique atmosphere within the medieval walls, at the foot of the Fortress
• Free admission, event open to all

Gradara, a village to discover

Visiting Gradara during the patronal festival means experiencing the village in its most intimate and communal dimension. Among the cobblestone alleys, artisan shops, and the unmistakable profile of the Fortress, the Festa di San Terenzio offers the opportunity to combine the spirituality of the patronal tradition with the beauty of one of the best-preserved medieval centers in the Marche region. Promoted by Pro Loco Gradara with the Municipality of Gradara, it is an event that tells the soul of the village.