Festival of Saint Thomas Becket of Canterbury

An English Saint, Patron of a Marche Village

The Festival of Saint Thomas Becket of Canterbury is the patronal feast of Montedinove, a small hilltop village in the province of Ascoli Piceno, in the heart of southern Marche, not far from the Sibillini Mountains. Its uniqueness is already in its name: the patron saint is not a local saint, but Thomas Becket, the Archbishop of Canterbury martyred in 1170, one of the most famous figures in English Christianity. An ancient and by no means accidental devotion, which has linked this corner of Piceno to England for almost four centuries.

Tradition Since 1646

The devotion revolves around the Sanctuary of Saint Thomas Becket, located about 500 meters from the historic center of Montedinove. The festival commemorates the consecration of the new church, which took place on the first Sunday of June 1646: since then, the recurrence has been celebrated every year on the first Sunday of the month, attracting faithful and pilgrims from various regions of Italy. The sanctuary, whose origins date back to the period 1620-1646, has been a place of worship for centuries and is today the heart of the festival day.

A Day of Masses and Markets

The religious part is concentrated at the Sanctuary, with Holy Masses held from early morning until the afternoon. Meanwhile, the historic center of Montedinove comes alive with the traditional fair-market: stalls selling local typical products, clothing, and children's items fill the village streets, set against a backdrop of stone houses and views of the Sibillini Mountains.

Food Stalls

The most anticipated moment, especially around lunchtime and in the evening, are the food stalls offering local specialties. You can taste:

• Fried fish, a tribute to the nearby Adriatic coast;
• Porchetta, one of the flagship dishes of Marche cuisine;
• Local cured meats and other typical products of the Piceno area.

The dishes can be enjoyed in the adjacent green areas, in a convivial atmosphere that lasts until evening. In recent years, the festival has also been enriched with cultural and creative offerings, such as workshops for children hosted at the Museum of the Pink Apple as part of the "Romantic Road of the Sibillini" project.

Why It's Worth Visiting

The Festival of Saint Thomas Becket is the ideal opportunity to discover Montedinove and the inland Piceno area: an authentic village, far from mass tourist circuits, where centuries-old religious tradition and a popular fair coexist in a single day. Admission is free, and the atmosphere is that of a village festival, increasingly rare, still fully lived by the community.