Palio of Celestine V

A Palio dedicated to the Pope of the "Great Refusal"

The Palio of Celestine V is the great identity-defining festival of Raviscanina, a small town in the province of Caserta, in Campania, nestled at the foot of the Matese mountains and overlooking the middle Volturno valley. The event stems from a specific historical claim: according to studies by historian Domenico Caiazza, later supported by other researchers, Pietro Angelerio — the monk from Morrone elected Pope on August 29, 1294, under the name Celestine V — was born right here, in the Castrum Sancti Angeli de Ravecanina. A few months after his coronation, the shy and elderly pontiff renounced the papacy: this is the famous "Great Refusal" that Dante consigned to collective memory and to which the abdication of Benedict XVI in 2013 was also implicitly linked.

Not a Palio of nobles, but of the humble

Unlike many Italian Palios built on the splendor of noble houses, the one in Raviscanina was conceived as the festival of the humble: it celebrates a poor man who lived on herbs, walked barefoot, and rose from a hermitage to the throne of Peter. This detail sets the tone for the entire event, which is more popular than aristocratic. The organization is entrusted to the Pro Loco Rupecanina, supported over the years by the Municipality of Raviscanina, the Center for Medieval Studies, the Matese Mountain Community, the Caserta Provincial Tourism Board (EPT), the Matese Park, and the Campania Region.

The four districts and the barrel race

The competitive heart of the Palio is the challenge between the four districts of the village — San Michele Arcangelo, Gli Ordini, I Drengot, and I Marzano — whose names recall the families and powers that dominated this part of the Terra di Lavoro during the Middle Ages. The heads of the families organize tournaments and traditional games, but everything converges toward the decisive trial: the barrel race, held in the Quattroventi area, with three laps around the roundabout where the marble statue of Celestine V, created by master Gianni Parisi of Alife, stands. The winning district receives the banner and the title for the current year.

The historical pageant, flag-wavers, and performances

The two days revolve around the historical pageant, which travels through the village streets and the squares decorated for the occasion — Piazza Santa Croce and Piazza Umberto I — with ladies, knights, men-at-arms, drummers, and costumed participants. Over the years, guest groups from all over Central and Southern Italy have paraded: the flag-wavers of Borgo Fontana, the Historical Pageant of Aquino, the Sancti Benedicti of Montecassino, the musicians and flag-wavers of I Casali di Minturno, the Castrum Thorae Historical Pageant, and the Compagnia della Rosa e della Spada. The parade is accompanied by stilt walkers, while the squares host comedy magic shows, puppet theater, and entertainment for children. The spectacular dimension is always accompanied by a devotional one, with a procession and a solemn mass dedicated to the saintly pontiff.

The market of ancient crafts

For both evenings, the village hosts an exhibition of ancient craft tools, curated by the Celestino V Cultural Association, and a market of ancient crafts, featuring artisan stalls, demonstrations of traditional workmanship, and typical products of the Matese area of Caserta. It is the most educational part of the festival, highly appreciated by families.

A calendar that has changed over time

Historically, the Palio was held in September, on a weekend during the month. In 2025, however, the event was moved to July, with the edition presented as the "Twentieth Anniversary Palio". It is therefore advisable to check the actual dates each year with the Pro Loco Rupecanina or the Municipality of Raviscanina.

Beyond the Palio: the castle of Rupecanina and the Celestine paths

A visit to Raviscanina is completed by the climb to the castle of Rupecanina, a Norman-era fortification located at an altitude of about 530 meters along the ancient Via Latina between Benevento and Rome, which dominates the entire valley: it is the symbolic place of the thesis regarding Celestine's birthplace. In recent years, the Pro Loco has also developed a devotional circuit around the figure of the pontiff — the Path of Celestine V, the torchlight procession of the Castrum Rupecanina fire, and the reception of the Morrone fire — which links Raviscanina to other Celestine sites across Campania, Molise, and Abruzzo. The Celestine V House Museum is also located in the village.