Festa Patronale di San Rocco

A devotion born with the plague

In Grottole, an ancient village in the province of Matera overlooking the Basento valley, the Festa Patronale di San Rocco (Patron Saint Festival of San Rocco) is the most cherished event of the summer. The cult of the pilgrim saint from Montpellier, protector against epidemics, has been documented in the village since 1665, when the community turned to him after the great plague. Since then, every August 16th, Grottole renews its vow, bringing the entire population and the many emigrants who return for the occasion together around the patron saint.

The procession between the castle and the old village

The heart of the festival is the morning procession, which starts from the church of San Rocco (Santa Maria la Grotta) and ascends to the castle, where the rite of entrustment to the saint is performed, then crosses the alleys of the medieval core and returns to the church. In recent years, the procession has been enriched by a parade of finely decorated horses and a procession of participants in traditional Lucanian and medieval costumes, recalling the history of the village. The statue of the saint is dressed for the occasion with a hat, cloak, staff, satchel, boots, and a silver dog: objects donated in the early twentieth century by Grottole emigrants in the United States.

Festival of faith and community

Alongside the religious dimension, the civil celebrations liven up the town with lights, musical bands, concerts, shows, and food stalls offering Lucanian specialties, culminating in the traditional evening fireworks. Experiencing Grottole on San Rocco's day means discovering a village with a strong identity, suspended between badlands and history, at its most intense and participatory moment.