Festa Patronale di San Domenico di Guzman

A festival that is the heart of the Moliterno community

August 4th is a date marked in the hearts of all Moliterno residents. On this day, the town in the upper Val d'Agri, nestled in the National Park of the Lucanian Apennines, pauses to celebrate San Domenico di Guzman, founder of the Order of Preachers and patron saint of the town. It is one of those festivals that has marked the village calendar for generations, capable of bringing home even those who have emigrated across Italy and the world.

Religious rites and the procession

The most heartfelt moment is the evening procession, when the statue of the Saint is carried on shoulders along the streets of the historic center, between rows of onlookers, adorned windows, and the emotion of families. Traditionally, the celebration includes a solemn Holy Mass and, in some editions, the evocative rite of the symbolic handover of the city keys to the patron saint, a gesture that tells of the ancient bond between Moliterno and San Domenico.

Music and shows in the square

Alongside the religious dimension, the festival offers the usual civil program with concerts and shows that fill the squares until late at night. In recent editions, the lineup has hosted important names from the Lucanian and Neapolitan music scene, capable of transforming the patronal feast day into a great moment of collective celebration.

Moliterno, land of flavors and traditions

Celebrating San Domenico also means experiencing Moliterno, a town famous for its Canestrato IGP (a type of local cheese) and its compact historic center, dominated by the medieval castle. The Municipality of Moliterno and the Province of Potenza have always supported this anniversary which, between faith and conviviality, remains one of the most identity-defining events of the Lucanian summer.