Helener Kirchtag

A centuries-old mountain festival in the Ultental valley

The Helener Kirchtag is the traditional feast dedicated to the St. Helena chapel (in German St. Helena Kirchlein), which stands in isolation on a wooded ridge at an altitude of approximately 1,550 meters above the village of San Pancrazio / St. Pankraz, in the Ultental valley, in the province of Bolzano, in the heart of South Tyrol. It is one of the Kirchtag, the typical South Tyrolean patronal feasts where religious observance intertwines with community celebration.

The St. Helena Chapel

First documented in 1338 and rebuilt several times over the centuries, the church was consecrated in 1698 by the Bishop of Trento. It is dedicated to Saint Helena of Constantinople, mother of Emperor Constantine, traditionally invoked as a protector against storms and fires. Inside, it houses valuable Baroque statues and a sculpture of the Virgin Mary dating back to around 1700. In past centuries, the small sanctuary also served as a curacy church for the farms scattered across the surrounding slopes, with a school and a curate's house located nearby; the old school building is now used as a meeting house.

Festival Program

The highlight of the Helener Kirchtag is the solemn mass celebrated in the early afternoon, around 2:00 PM, accompanied by the singing of the San Pancrazio choir. The service is followed by the traditional festive gathering: the ascent to the chapel, nestled in the woods and overlooking one of the widest panoramas of the Ultental valley, is an integral part of the experience, whether you arrive on foot along the trails or stop nearby for a convivial moment.

• Solemn Mass at the St. Helena chapel in the afternoon
• Musical accompaniment by the San Pancrazio choir
• Traditional gathering of the Ultental community
• Panoramic setting overlooking the woods and the valley's mountains

A place, a tradition

Accessible only on foot along the trails leading up from San Pancrazio (about 40 minutes from the small parking lot just past the village, or about two hours of walking from the valley floor), the St. Helena chapel has always been a destination for walks and hikes for the inhabitants of the Ultental valley and visitors alike. The Helener Kirchtag renews its bond with the community every year: a sober and authentic festival, rooted in the life of the municipality and South Tyrolean culture, where the religious, hiking, and social dimensions merge in the high-altitude landscape.