Festival of Saint Paschal Baylon

A centuries-old festival on Santa Croce hill

The Festival of Saint Paschal Baylon is one of the most heartfelt devotional events in the municipality of Ostra Vetere, in the province of Ancona, in the heart of the Marche Region. The celebrations take place at the Sanctuary of Saint Paschal Baylon, entrusted to the Friars Minor, which stands on Santa Croce hill opposite the town. Built from the early 17th century and enriched over the centuries with valuable works of art, the sanctuary is today a point of reference for Eucharistic devotion in the entire Diocese of Senigallia.

Saint Paschal Baylon, the patron saint of cooks

Saint Paschal Baylon (1540-1592), a humble Franciscan friar of Spanish origin, is universally venerated as the patron saint of cooks and pastry chefs: according to popular tradition, he is credited with inventing zabaglione, whose name is said to derive from his. Proclaimed patron of Eucharistic Congresses by Leo XIII in 1897, he is remembered as the "theologian of the Eucharist". His feast day falls on May 17th, the day on which Ostra Vetere gathers around its saint with a participation that each year draws faithful from outside the region as well.

The celebration programme

The solemnities are spread over several days, combining liturgical moments and popular events:

• The blessing of motorcycles: a Sunday dedicated to a motorcycle rally, with a morning mass and blessing of the vehicles, which attracts bikers from all over the Marche.
• The triduum: three evenings of preparation with the recitation of the Rosary and an evening mass.
• The jubilee pilgrimage: on the eve, the faithful process from the parishes to the sanctuary.
• The solemn day of May 17th: several solemn masses throughout the day, including the celebration presided over by the bishop, the blessing of children in the afternoon, and the procession with the statue of Saint Paschal, which goes from the convent to the town centre.

Between faith, tradition, and village festival

Alongside the religious dimension, the festival preserves the warmth of Marche popular tradition: in the sanctuary courtyard, a charity raffle is held, while the streets adjacent to the convent come alive with the Saint Paschal Fair, featuring dozens of stalls offering products, sweets, and crafts. Illuminations light up the village and, to close the celebrations, a grand evening fireworks display lights up the sky above Santa Croce hill, providing a highly evocative finale to one of the most beloved patronal festivals in the Ancona hinterland.