Festival in Honor of Saint Julius, Patron Saint of Masons and Construction Workers

A festival of trade and community in the Anzasca Valley

The Festival in honor of Saint Julius, patron saint of masons and construction workers, is one of the most cherished events in the calendar of Calasca-Castiglione, a small town in the Anzasca Valley in the province of Verbano-Cusio-Ossola, Piedmont. Every year, around mid-March, the Gruppo Edile di Calasca Castiglione brings together masons, artisans, and local residents to honor the protector of those who work with stone and build mountain homes.

The origins of the festival

The Gruppo Edile was founded on December 15, 1998, and is twinned with the group from Premosello, with the aim of celebrating Saint Julius, the patron saint of masons. Over the years, the association has promoted numerous works for the benefit of the area, including the restoration of the Calasca Parish Church and improvements to the sanctuary of the Gurva. The festival is therefore much more than a religious recurrence: it is the moment when a professional community renews its bond with the town and its roots.

A day between faith and tradition

The celebration begins in the morning with a welcome reception at the Gruppo Edile headquarters. This is followed by a solemn Mass in memory of deceased construction workers, celebrated in the parish church of Calasca and accompanied by the parish choir. At the end of the service, the procession with the statue of Saint Julius winds through the streets of the town, accompanied by the Premiato Corpo Musicale di Bannio, which lends the day its solemn and festive atmosphere.

The convivial moment

After the religious portion, the festival continues with a social lunch, traditionally hosted at the Concordia restaurant in Vanzone. In the afternoon, there are greetings from the valley's institutions and authorities, the presentation of awards to those who have distinguished themselves, and a lottery drawing, all in an atmosphere of friendship and belonging to the Ossola community.

Why attend

• To experience an authentic traditional folk festival of the Ossola valleys, far from mass tourism circuits.
• To hear the Premiato Corpo Musicale di Bannio accompany the procession through the mountains.
• To discover Calasca-Castiglione and the Anzasca Valley, at the foot of Monte Rosa, on an early spring day.

An intimate and identity-focused event that tells the story of the spirit of a mountain community in Piedmont, where the work of builders and popular devotion have been intertwined for generations.