Festival of the Holy Martyrs (Secondiano, Veriano and Marcelliano)

The three patron saints of Tuscania

The Festival of the Holy Martyrs is the patronal feast of Tuscania, an Etruscan-origin town in the province of Viterbo, in northern Lazio. The city venerates Secondiano, Veriano and Marcelliano, three Roman citizens who converted to Christianity in the 3rd century. Persecuted under Emperor Decius, they were beheaded for refusing to renounce their faith, and according to tradition, their bodies were cast into the sea. Since then, the three martyrs have been considered the protectors of the Tuscania community, serving as witnesses of faith and courage.

The translation of the relics and the Basilica of San Pietro

Devotion to the three saints dates back to the early Middle Ages: in 648 AD, the bishop had the relics transported from Civitavecchia to Tuscania for safekeeping. Legend has it that the cart carrying them, pulled by heifers, stopped on its own on the Civita hill. In that spot, the church of San Pietro was expanded, becoming the splendid Romanesque basilica that stands today as one of the most famous monuments in the Tuscia region. In the 16th century, the relics were moved to the church of San Lorenzo, and following the 1971 earthquake, they found their final resting place in 1983 within the Chapel of the Blessed Sacrament in the Duomo, the Cathedral of San Giacomo.

How the festival unfolds

Celebrations are concentrated in the first week of August each year, blending religious programming with a popular festival that engages the entire historic center. Traditional events include:

• Holy masses celebrated in the Cathedral of San Giacomo in the days leading up to the feast;
• The feast of Madonna della Neve on August 5th, with mass at Largo Madonna della Neve;
• The solemn evening procession on August 7th, which travels from the Edicola dei Santi Martiri on Via dell'Olivo to the Basilica of San Pietro, organized by the Associazione Cultores Martyrum with the participation of the town band;
• The solemn mass on August 8th, presided over by the Bishop of Viterbo;
• The tombola in Piazza Italia, a convivial moment that closes the festivities.

A festival in the heart of Tuscia

The patronal festival is also an ideal opportunity to discover Tuscania, one of the most fascinating destinations in the municipality and the entire province of Viterbo. The Romanesque basilicas of San Pietro and Santa Maria Maggiore, the medieval walls, the Etruscan necropolises, and the narrow alleys of the historic center provide a natural backdrop for the celebrations. During the festival evenings, the town comes alive with families, visitors, and returning locals, creating the sense of community typical of Lazio's patronal feasts.

Why attend

The Festival of the Holy Martyrs is not a massive tourist event but an authentic celebration, deeply rooted in town life for centuries. Those visiting the Tuscia region in early August can witness a highly evocative procession, with the Romanesque stones of San Pietro illuminated at night, and experience the genuine atmosphere of a village renewing its bond with its patron saints each year.