Festa Patronale dei Santi Pietro e Paolo a Rocca Susella

A village between three valleys

Rocca Susella, in the Province of Pavia, stands in an elevated position in the Oltrepò Pavese, where the Ardivestra Valley, Schizzola Valley, and Rile Valley meet. In the Middle Ages, it was known as Rocha de Axixellae and Castrum Saxillae, and over the centuries it belonged to the bishopric of Tortona, then to the Ruino family of Montepicco, the Gambarana family, and the barons de' Ghislanzoni. Today it is a small hillside municipality easily reachable from Voghera and Casteggio along the SP92.

The village patrons

The patronal festival of Rocca Susella is dedicated to Saints Peter and Paul and is traditionally celebrated on the third Sunday of September. The heart of the event is the parish church of Saints Peter and Paul, in the centre of the village, which houses a gilded wooden statue of the Madonna del Rosario and furnishings from the 17th century: a small treasure chest of sacred art that tells the spiritual story of the community.

Devotion and community

As in many Oltrepò villages, the patronal festival is the time when the village comes together. The religious celebration, with a solemn mass in honour of the saints, is accompanied by moments of conviviality that mark the life of a hillside community. It is an opportunity to rediscover the identity of a territory made up of vineyards, woods, and small hamlets, first and foremost Chiusani, famous for its ancient chestnut groves and its chestnut festival (sagra della castagna).

In the calendar of local traditions

The festival of Saints Peter and Paul is part of a cycle of anniversaries that animate Rocca Susella's year, from the Feast of Saint Zachary on July 1st to the Chestnut and Marron Festival in the hamlet of Chiusani. Visiting the village for the patronal festival means coming into contact with the most authentic Oltrepò Pavese, far from the major tourist flows.