Patronal Feast of Saint Andrew the Apostle and Procession of the Battenti

Five days of faith and celebration in the heart of Bassa Irpinia

Every year at the end of August, the municipality of Sirignano — a town of just under three thousand inhabitants in the province of Avellino, in the Campanian Bassa Irpinia — comes to a standstill to celebrate its patron saint, Saint Andrew the Apostle. The patronal feast blends an intense religious program with popular secular festivities: solemn masses, Eucharistic adoration, the procession of the Saint's statue through the town streets, followed by illuminations, market stalls, concerts in the square, and a fireworks display. It is the event that marks the end of summer in Sirignano, drawing visitors from the neighboring towns of the Clanio valley, from Avella to Baiano, and from Mugnano del Cardinale to Quadrelle.

The Battenti: ten kilometers barefoot

The most iconic moment of the festival is the penitential procession of the Battenti, which takes place on the last Sunday of August. A large group of locals, of all ages and genders, sets off in the early morning from Cimitile and walks barefoot for the roughly ten kilometers that separate the town of Nola from Sirignano. The penitents wear an all-white habit with a long red sash worn over the shoulder and wrapped around the waist. It is a vow and act of thanksgiving passed down through generations: those who witness the return of the Battenti to the town in the late morning immediately understand why this festival is so much more than mere folklore.

The Church of Saint Andrew the Apostle

The liturgical center of the feast is the parish church in Piazza Principessa Rosa, whose documented origins date back to the 14th century, when it was led by Abbot Goffredo; the current building was constructed in the early 17th century to accommodate a growing population. Behind the simple facade, featuring a carved stone portal and a three-level bell tower with a clock, the church preserves:

• the high altar in polychrome marble, a gift from the Caracciolo della Gioiosa family;
• an 18th-century painting depicting the apparition of the Madonna delle Grazie and 18th-century side altars;
• the altar of Saint Andrew, created between 1925 and 1930;
• a silver reliquary depicting two miniature trunks forming the Cross of Saint Andrew;
• a cycle of frescoes featuring the Four Evangelists, the Allegories of Faith and Religion, and the Martyrdom of Saint Andrew.

The secular program: concerts, comedy, and fireworks

Alongside the devotional aspect, the Saint Andrew the Apostle Feast Committee organizes an evening program every year that brings Piazza Principessa Rosa and Piazza Aniello Colucci to life. In 2025, the lineup included an official Pooh tribute band, the musical show "Angelo e la sua Napoli," comedian Simone Schettino, and singer Emiliana Cantone, while the fireworks display by the Cimmino firm of Quadrelle concluded the Sunday of the procession. All events are held outdoors and are free to attend.

Sirignano, the town of the two Christmases

Sirignano covers just over six square kilometers at an altitude of 270 meters, about twenty kilometers from Avellino, and is crossed by the Clanio river. The name is thought to derive from "Serenius," likely the name of the ancient landowner. The town is known as "the town of the two Christmases" due to the Natale Piccirillo, a gastronomic festival held in November, and boasts a calendar of traditions that also includes the Cantata di Zeza during Carnival and the festival dedicated to the Sirignano-style veal cutlet in June. In 2009, the municipality received an award in Lugano for its "excellent quality of life."

Why it is worth the trip

For those visiting the interior of Campania at the end of August, the feast of Saint Andrew in Sirignano is an opportunity to witness a deeply rooted popular devotion, far from mass tourism circuits, in a village located just a few kilometers from the Roman amphitheater of Avella and the early Christian basilicas of Cimitile, the starting point of the Battenti's journey.