Marcia del Perdono

A journey of both effort and prayer

On August 2nd, the Church celebrates the Pardon of Assisi, the indulgence of the Porziuncola that Pope Honorius III granted at the request of St. Francis. Throughout Italy, the anniversary is observed in parish and Franciscan churches, but in Poggio Bustone, a small village in the province of Rieti overlooking the Rieti Holy Valley, it takes on a unique form: a collective march that climbs on foot toward the mountains. This is the Marcia del Perdono, an annual event that unites the local community, pilgrims from the diocese, and hikers traveling the Way of St. Francis.

Why here?

Poggio Bustone is no ordinary Franciscan site. Tradition holds that here, the young Francis, arriving in the Holy Valley, greeted the inhabitants with his famous "Good morning, good people," and that it was in these very caves that he received the assurance of divine forgiveness for the sins of his youth. For this reason, the sanctuary of Poggio Bustone is known as the sanctuary of forgiveness: not a marginal episode, but one of the foundational moments of the Franciscan spiritual experience. The Convent of San Giacomo stands at an altitude of about 800 meters, while higher up, at 1,055 meters, lies the Sacro Speco, the cave of revelation, reached by a path that crosses a forest of ancient oaks and maples.

How the march unfolds

In its established form, the day of August 2nd begins in the morning with celebrations at the sanctuary. However, the most popular moment comes in the afternoon: the procession of walkers gathers in the square of the Santi Angeli Custodi parish, in the hamlet of San Pietro, and sets off upwards from there. After an initial moment of prayer, the group tackles the route along the Way of St. Francis, accompanied by the CAI group of Poggio Bustone, which leads the way and monitors the steeper sections. The arrival at the Sacro Speco is the heart of the day: a blessing with the relic of St. Francis and Mass celebrated in the chapel, in a silence that only the woods can provide.

A trail returning to its roots

For the 2026 edition, the municipal administration has announced work to restore the original historical trail, which climbed from the Ternana area up to the Franciscan sanctuary. An intervention that goes beyond a single event: it restores a historical itinerary to hikers and pilgrims and strengthens the network of trails that makes Poggio Bustone a recognized stop on the Franciscan pilgrimage in Lazio.

Who organizes it

The Marcia del Perdono is born from the collaboration between the Municipality of Poggio Bustone, the Pro Loco, the Franciscan Convent of San Giacomo, and the Italian Alpine Club (CAI). Over the years, the event has intertwined with the initiatives of the Diocese of Rieti and youth ministry, which in some editions has brought groups of young people from all over Lazio and Abruzzo here.

What to expect

• A walk accessible to many, but with a real climb: trekking shoes recommended, not sandals.
• An atmosphere of reflection rather than a noisy festival: it is a pilgrimage, not a food fair.
• Open views over the Rieti Holy Valley, with Lake Lungo and the Rieti plain beneath your feet.
• Free participation, open to both locals and visitors.

Poggio Bustone beyond August 2nd

The village, also known for being the birthplace of Lucio Battisti, has built a calendar around its identity that weaves together spirituality, nature, and gastronomy: from the patronal feast of St. John the Baptist in June to the Porchetta Festival in early October, to paragliding competitions that take advantage of the slope's exceptional aerological conditions. However, the Marcia del Perdono remains the event that best tells the soul of the village.