Fiera del Perdono

A fair linked to the Pardon of Assisi

The Fiera del Perdono in Vicovaro takes place every year on August 1st and 2nd. These dates are far from coincidental: they mark the days when the Pardon of Assisi—the Porziuncola indulgence associated with Saint Francis—is celebrated in Franciscan churches worldwide. In Vicovaro, the occasion is particularly significant due to the nearby San Cosimato Convent, also known as the Franciscan Oasis, which overlooks the Aniene gorges along the Via Tiburtina Valeria. The market fair that accompanies the religious celebration stretches toward the convent, blending popular devotion with traditional street commerce.

The fair's route

The fair's layout is defined annually by the Municipality's public notice: stalls occupy Via Tiburtina, from the fountain square (at the intersection with Via Valeria Vecchia) to the gate of the San Cosimato Franciscan Oasis, and continue along Via Valeria Vecchia toward the center of Vicovaro. This creates a long, vibrant procession of stalls connecting the village to the convent, active from the afternoon of August 1st until lunchtime on August 2nd.

What to find at the stalls

Like any traditional fair in the Lazio region, the Fiera del Perdono features vendors from all sectors: clothing, household goods, handicrafts, and gift items, alongside food stalls offering local specialties. Special mention goes to the porchetta, the undisputed queen of Roman countryside fairs, whose sale is strictly regulated by municipal notice with specific requirements for refrigerated displays and health inspections—a detail that speaks volumes about the product's role in local tradition.

San Cosimato and the Franciscan Oasis

The San Cosimato complex, which provides the backdrop for the fair, is one of the most evocative sites in the Aniene Valley: an ancient rupestrian hermitage linked to the memory of Saint Benedict, which passed to the Reformed Franciscan friars in the 17th century, perched on a rock spur above the river. The coincidence between the fair and the Porziuncola Pardon, which is granted from noon on August 1st to midnight on August 2nd in all Franciscan churches, explains the event's name and its deep roots in the Vicovaro calendar.

Vicovaro, a village in the Aniene Valley

Vicovaro is a village of ancient origins in the Metropolitan City of Rome Capital, Lazio, situated along the ancient Via Valeria at the gateway to the Aniene Valley. The town preserves a medieval historic center, including the Renaissance-style temple of San Giacomo, and is famous for the sanctuary of the Madonna Avvocata Nostra. The early August fair is a time when the community gathers, joined by visitors from neighboring towns and Romans seeking summer coolness along the Aniene river.

An event organized by the Municipality

The fair is organized directly by the Municipality of Vicovaro, which publishes an annual notice for the allocation of pitches to street vendors, with applications submitted by the end of July via the national trade portal or via PEC. For visitors, access is naturally free: simply stroll along the Tiburtina among the stalls during the two most Franciscan days of the summer.