Festivities in Honor of Patron Saints Tolomeo and Romano

A festival that is the beating heart of Nepi

The Festivities in Honor of Patron Saints Tolomeo and Romano are the most anticipated event of the year in Nepi, a tuff-stone village in the Tuscia Viterbese region, in the province of Viterbo, Lazio. For a few days, between the third and fourth week of August, the historic center comes alive with lights, market stalls, and thousands of people: locals returning home, families from the province, and visitors traveling along the Via Amerina. The municipal administration calls it the beating heart of the community, and anyone who has seen the square packed during the procession understands why.

The two patrons and their history

Tolomeo and Romano are linked to the Christian origins of the city: tradition holds that Tolomeo, a disciple of Saint Peter, was the first bishop of Nepi, while Romano served as bishop later on. The cult is celebrated around August 24th, with solemn liturgies in the Cathedral and the evening procession, during which the reliquary of San Romano is carried on shoulders through the streets of the center. It is the most intense moment of the festival: the lights dim, the band accompanies the parade, and balconies overlook the passing confraternities.

The typical program

The calendar, created each year by the Municipality of Nepi together with the Pro Loco and local associations, blends the sacred and the secular with great naturalness:

• San Romano Concert by the historic Enrico Gai Music Band of Nepi, which officially opens the festivities in Piazza del Comune;
• Solemn masses and procession with confraternities, clergy, and city authorities;
• Major free evening concerts in the square: recent years have featured names like Giuliano Palma and L'Orchestraccia;
• Shows for children and families, magic, cabaret, and comedy nights;
• Sports and youth events (street basketball tournaments, archery, musical contests for young bands);
• Contemporary art exhibitions, guided tours of the Rocca dei Borgia and the Santa Savinilla catacombs organized by the Civic Museum;
• Tombola with rich prizes, firecracker displays, and blood drives promoted by volunteer associations.

The closing pyromusical fireworks

The grand finale is the pyrotechnic show that concludes the festivities, traditionally set up in the Pescinale area, within the Tre Portoni park, where the public gathers on the meadows to watch the fireworks reflected on the ravines surrounding the village. It is the image that the people of Nepi carry with them all year long.

Nepi, much more than a festival

Those who arrive for the patronal festivities find a city that is worth the trip on its own: the Rocca dei Borgia, linked to the name of Lucrezia Borgia, the imposing 17th-century aqueduct, the Cathedral with its Romanesque crypt, the early Christian catacombs, and the famous Nepi mineral waters, used since ancient times. The local food and wine scene is equally vibrant: the Pro Loco organizes the Pecorino and Cooked Salami Festival in the spring, and during the festival, kiosks offer porchetta, pecorino cheese, Colli Etruschi wines, and traditional desserts.

Why it's worth going

The patronal festival of Nepi is one of the best examples of how popular devotion in Tuscia can coexist with live entertainment: no tourist exploitation, but a community that puts on a show for itself and welcomes passersby. The evening events in the square are largely free, making the event one of the most accessible occasions of the Viterbo summer.