Madonna della Pace Festival (Pacevecchia District)

A neighborhood festival in the heart of Pacevecchia

The Madonna della Pace Festival is the most cherished event in the Pacevecchia district, a neighborhood located just outside the historic center of Benevento, the capital of the province of the same name in Campania. True to tradition, the community gathers around its parish on the last Sunday of September for several days of celebrations that weave together faith, music, and local life.

This is not a major summer blockbuster event; it is a grassroots festival that originates and thrives in the streets of the district, where families reconnect after the summer and the liturgical calendar becomes an occasion for gathering. Visitors from outside will find an authentic slice of contemporary Benevento, far from the tourist circuits of the Arch of Trajan and the Roman Theater.

Remembering the peace of 1530

The organizers explain that the event stems from three deep motivations: devotion to the Virgin Mary, the commemoration of the historic peace treaty signed in 1530 between the opposing factions that once tore the city apart, and the need to pray for peace in families, communities, and the world. The district's name, Pacevecchia, derives from that episode of civic reconciliation, preserving the memory of the ancient agreement.

It is a detail that makes this festival more interesting than the simple liturgical calendar might suggest: here, Marian devotion overlaps with a precise civic memory—that of a city that managed to overcome its internal divisions in the 16th century.

The three-day preparation

Celebrations open with a triduum starting on the Thursday before the festival Sunday. In documented editions, the religious program has included:

• Thursday: Eucharistic adoration and confessions in the morning, the Holy Rosary in the afternoon, and evening Holy Mass;
• Friday: Holy Rosary and a concert in the church, previously entrusted to the Accademia Santa Sofia with the "Accademia Lab" project;
• Saturday: Solemn mass presided over by a representative of the archiepiscopal Curia, followed by community gatherings in the parish spaces.

It was during one of these vigils that the "Sala della Pace" (Hall of Peace) was inaugurated and blessed—a space carved out of the church basement thanks to the work of priests and volunteers, dedicated to prayer, catechesis, and the neighborhood's cultural and recreational activities.

Sunday: Masses, procession, and fireworks

The day of the solemnity is the most intense. The day is marked by three masses—morning, noon, and evening—and culminates in the afternoon with the procession through the main streets of the district, as the image of the Madonna della Pace travels through the streets amidst the participation of residents. This is followed by the supplication to the Queen of Peace and, in closing, the fireworks display, which also draws people from other districts of the city.

The celebration is essentially aimed at the Pacevecchia district, but it is explicitly open to everyone: anyone who wishes to join the inhabitants in praying for peace in families, nations, and the world is free to participate.

The parish and the Sanctuary of Santa Rita

The heart of the festival is the Santa Maria della Pace parish, which also houses the Sanctuary of Saint Rita of Cascia. The current building, with its contemporary design, was built starting in 1996 based on a project by architect Benedetto Aloia and consecrated in 2003: the high iron facade and the two lateral tower-chapels make it immediately recognizable in the urban landscape of Pacevecchia. The same parish community celebrates the highly popular Saint Rita Festival in May, the second major event of the district.

When to go and what to expect

Those planning a visit to Benevento at the end of September will find the Madonna della Pace Festival an opportunity to discover the city off-season, when temperatures are more pleasant and city life has returned to its usual rhythm. The Sannio capital is easily explored on foot—the Arch of Trajan, the Roman Theater, the UNESCO-listed Church of Santa Sofia, the Hortus Conclusus—and the Pacevecchia festival can add a community experience to the trip that is difficult to find elsewhere.

2026 Edition

At the time of writing, the program for the 2026 edition has not yet been published: dates and times should be verified with the parish or through the channels of the Diocese of Benevento.