Festivities in Honor of the Patron Saint Blaise, Bishop and Martyr

A patron saint who marks the year in Pietrastornina

In the heart of Irpinia, at the foot of the Partenio massif and just a few kilometers from Avellino, the municipality of Pietrastornina (province of Avellino, Campania) lives all year round in the shadow of its devotion to Saint Blaise, Bishop and Martyr. The Festivities in Honor of the Patron Saint do not end on a single date: the community celebrates them twice, with solemn liturgies in late January and early February and the major summer festivities, scheduled in August so that the many Pietrastornina emigrants can return to the village and participate. It is a choice that says much about this village: the festival is not just a rite, it is the moment when the town reunites.

The winter cycle: the Sacred Image and the throat rite

The liturgical memorial of Saint Blaise falls on February 3rd, and the Maria Santissima Annunziata Parish, led by Father Giovanni Panichella, prepares for it with a week of celebrations. It begins with the solemn descent of the Sacred Image of the Saint, which is brought from its usual place to the altar, and continues with days dedicated to the different faces of the community: children, associations, confraternities, prayer groups, the sick, and the elderly.

On February 2nd, the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord, candles, bread, and oil are blessed. On the patron saint's day, the schedule is marked by morning Mass, the procession with the Sacred Image through the village streets, and the solemn evening Mass, at the end of which the most awaited gesture takes place: the rite of the anointing of the throat with blessed oil, according to the tradition that links Saint Blaise to protection against throat ailments. The cycle closes the following Sunday with a thanksgiving Mass and the solemn ascent of the Sacred Image.

The major August festivities

The most spectacular part of the festival, however, arrives in summer. In August, the religious program intertwines with a rich civil program that occupies Piazza Vittorio Veneto and Piazza Salvatore Iermano: Campanian folk orchestras, tribute bands, entertainment shows, and, inevitably, the early morning arrival of a brass band that travels through the village streets, waking up the alleys with marches and concert pieces. Recent editions have featured the Città di Lanciano Brass Band.

On the patron saint's Sunday, the mayor symbolically hands over the keys of the town to Saint Blaise, a gesture of entrustment that renews the pact between the community and the Saint every year. The final evening features the lottery draw and, above all, the fireworks display, awaited by the entire surrounding area. Accompanying the evenings are tastings of typical Irpinian products organized by local associations.

What not to miss

• The descent and ascent of the Sacred Image, two rites that open and close the festival
• The February 3rd procession and the throat anointing with blessed oil
• The handing over of the town keys to the Saint in August
• The morning tour of the brass band through the town center
• The fireworks that close the summer festivities
• Tastings of typical Irpinian products at the stands set up in the village

The town and the territory

Pietrastornina has just over a thousand inhabitants and stretches along one side of the Partenio Regional Park, an area that becomes a base for hiking on the ridges and towards mountain refuges in summer. The village preserves the Mother Church of the Santissima Annunziata, consecrated in 1761, the heart of the patronal celebrations, and several rural churches scattered in the hamlets. Those arriving for the festival will therefore also find a territory to explore, among trails, chestnut groves, and Irpinian gastronomy.

An authentic village festival atmosphere

Those looking for a Southern Italian patronal feast far from tourist circuits will find a very genuine example in Pietrastornina: squares fill with chairs, families occupy balconies, and young people who have returned from the North or abroad gather in front of the stage. Admission to all events is free, and the rhythm of the festival remains that of the slow, collective pace of the Campanian Apennine villages.