Patronal Feast of Saint Anthony of Padua
Four days of faith, music, and tradition in the village of ceramics
About Saint Anthony Feast
The patron saint of Cerreto Sannita and the entire Diocese
Every year, around June 13th, Cerreto Sannita — a town of just over three thousand inhabitants in the province of Benevento, in the heart of the Valle Telesina, Campania — celebrates its most cherished festival. Saint Anthony of Padua is not only the patron saint of the city; he is also the patron of the entire Diocese of Cerreto Sannita-Telese-Sant'Agata de' Goti. This gives the event a significance that extends far beyond the town's borders, drawing faithful from across the valley and the Sannio region.
A devotion rooted in the Middle Ages
The cult of Saint Anthony in Cerreto is ancient. As early as 1244, just thirteen years after the Saint's death in Padua, Franciscan friars founded a convent with a church dedicated to Saint Anthony in the old town; popular devotion has been documented since at least 1616. The turning point, however, came in 1731, when Bishop Francesco Baccari officially proclaimed Saint Anthony of Padua patronus principalis of the city. Meanwhile, the earthquake of June 5, 1688, had leveled the old village: Cerreto was rebuilt further down according to the regular grid plan of Giovanni Battista Manni, along with the church and the Saint's convent, which still house 18th-century Cerreto ceramic floors today.
The silver statue and the miracle of 1721
The heart of the festival is the silver statue of the patron saint, crafted in 1656 by the Neapolitan sculptor Antonio Perillo thanks to a bequest from a wealthy local family. Behind a glass panel on the chest, a fragment of fabric that belonged to the Saint is preserved. Local tradition links the miracle of 1721 to this very relic: young Giovan Camillo Rosati, who had been rendered mute by a violent fever for over a month, regained his speech after kissing it. The episode, recorded by a notary, strengthened local devotion to such an extent that it led to the proclamation of the patronage ten years later.
Four days between liturgy and the square
The festival is not limited to a single day. It begins with the Tredicina, thirteen days of prayer with daily Holy Mass in the Church of Saint Anthony, and culminates on the eve and the solemnity of June 13th. These days are marked by rituals that the people of Cerreto know by heart:
- the blessing of the lilies, the flowers that accompany the Saint in iconography;
- the procession that carries the silver statue from the Church of Saint Anthony to the Church of San Martino Vescovo, and then through the streets of the historic center;
- the solemn Eucharistic concelebration presided over by the diocesan bishop;
- the final blessing and veneration of the relics in Piazza Luigi Sodo, in the evening, with the square packed with people.
Evenings in Piazza Luigi Sodo
Alongside the religious program, there is a secular one, which finds its natural stage in Piazza Luigi Sodo, named after the 19th-century local bishop. Every evening features brass band concerts — a true specialty of Southern patronal feasts, with bands invited from other regions — musical performances, tributes, and local youth ensembles, such as the inclusive orchestra of the iCare social cooperative and the Carafa-Giustiniani Musical High School. The historic center lights up with luminarie (decorative lights) several days in advance, and the festivities conclude with a pyromusical show that illuminates the sky of the Valle Telesina.
The Saint Anthony pastry
A small, delicious, and charitable tradition is also linked to the festival: the Saint Anthony Pastry, inspired by the Paduan custom of bread offered to the poor by friars, is prepared by the DolceMente social bakery and offered during the masses on the eve and the day of the solemnity.
Cerreto Sannita, the city of ceramics
Those arriving for the festival discover one of the most unique villages in inland Campania. Rebuilt after 1688 with a checkerboard urban layout rare in the South, Cerreto Sannita is famous for its artistic ceramics: master Nicolò Russo, who arrived in town during the reconstruction, is considered the father of Cerreto ceramics, and generations of artisans have passed down its glazes and decorations ever since. The workshops in the center remain open during the festival days.
Why it's worth the trip
The festival is the best opportunity to see Cerreto Sannita in its most authentic guise: a small town that, for four days, fills with music, lights, and people, nestled between the Matese and Titerno hills. All religious and secular events are free to attend.
Saint Anthony Feast — edition 2026
Saint Anthony Feast 2026 in Cerreto Sannita
Four days of faith, music, and tradition, from June 10 to 13, 2026, for the patron saint of the city and the Diocese of Cerreto Sannita-Telese-Sant'Agata de' Goti. The celebrations were presided over by Bishop Mons. Giuseppe Mazzafaro, with the Tredicina starting on June 1st in the Church of Saint Anthony.
On June 12th, the blessing of the lilies took place in the morning, and at 6:30 PM, the procession with the historic silver statue moved toward the Church of Saint Anthony, followed by Vespers. On Saturday the 13th, the day of the solemnity, the statue was transferred to the Church of San Martino Vescovo for the 11:00 AM Eucharistic concelebration; in the evening, the 7:00 PM Mass and the procession through the historic center, concluded by the blessing and veneration of the relics in Piazza Luigi Sodo.
On the secular side, the square hosted a different event every evening: the MusicLab project of the iCare social cooperative, the Scantinato 10 show, the concert by the Carafa-Giustiniani Musical High School, and the 883 tribute band Quelli della mala, before the grand finale with the Città di Bisceglie brass band concert and the pyromusical show.
Programme Saint Anthony Feast 2026
Religious Program
- June 1-11 — Tredicina in honor of Saint Anthony in the Church of Saint Anthony, with daily Holy Mass.
- Friday, June 12, 10:30 AM — Holy Mass with blessing of the lilies in the Church of Saint Anthony.
- Friday, June 12, 6:30 PM — Procession with the silver statue of the Saint toward the Church of Saint Anthony, led by Bishop Mons. Giuseppe Mazzafaro, and first Vespers of the solemnity.
- Friday, June 12, 7:00 PM — Holy Mass in the Church of Saint Anthony.
- Saturday, June 13, 8:00 AM — Holy Mass in the Church of Saint Anthony.
- Saturday, June 13, 9:00 AM — Holy Mass and processional transfer of the silver statue toward the Church of San Martino Vescovo.
- Saturday, June 13, 11:00 AM — Solemn Eucharistic concelebration presided over by the diocesan bishop.
- Saturday, June 13, 7:00 PM — Holy Mass in the Church of San Martino Vescovo, followed by the traditional procession through the streets of the center with the patron's statue.
- Saturday, June 13, 9:30 PM — Final blessing and veneration of the relics in Piazza Luigi Sodo.
Secular Program — Piazza Luigi Sodo
- Wednesday, June 10, 9:00 PM — «MusicLab», the inclusive orchestra of the iCare Social Cooperative directed by maestro Marco Rosiello and coordinated by Rosaria Vecchi, featuring children, teenagers, and young people together with their families.
- Thursday, June 11, 10:00 PM — Musical show «Scantinato 10».
- Friday, June 12, 9:00 PM — Concert by the Carafa-Giustiniani Musical High School of Cerreto Sannita; at 10:30 PM musical show «Quelli della mala – 883 Tribute».
- Saturday, June 13 — «Città di Bisceglie» brass band concert, directed by maestro Benedetto Grillo: accompanies the most significant moments of the day, the tribute to city authorities and the Carabinieri, the evening procession, and closes the festivities with a classical music concert at 10:00 PM.
Lights and Fireworks
Decorative lights by the Iacelli company lit up the historic center from June 9; pyromusical show by the Pannella company at the end of the procession on June 13.
Collateral Initiatives
Distribution of the «Saint Anthony Pastry» prepared by the DolceMente social bakery of the iCare cooperative, during the masses on June 12 and 13 in the Church of Saint Anthony and the Church of San Martino Vescovo.
Highlights Saint Anthony Feast 2026
- The procession on the evening of June 13 with the 1656 silver statue, work of Neapolitan sculptor Antonio Perillo, containing a relic of the Saint
- The blessing of the lilies on June 12 in the Church of Saint Anthony
- The «Città di Bisceglie» brass band concert directed by maestro Benedetto Grillo
- The pyromusical show by the Pannella company closing the procession
- The iCare MusicLab inclusive orchestra in Piazza Luigi Sodo, for the second consecutive year
- The 883 tribute «Quelli della mala» on the evening of June 12
- The «Saint Anthony Pastry» from the DolceMente laboratory
Prices Saint Anthony Feast 2026
Practical information — Saint Anthony Feast
Getting there
By train: the reference station is Telese-Cerreto, on the Naples-Foggia line, served by regional trains to Benevento, Caserta, Naples, and Rome; it is about 11 km from the center of Cerreto Sannita, with bus connections (Autolinee Ferrazza) and taxis available from the station square.
By car: reachable from the Valle Telesina by taking the SS 372 Telesina road to Telese Terme and then continuing inland; the historic center is pedestrianized during processions, so it is advisable to leave the car in peripheral parking areas.
Costs
Admission is free to all celebrations and all performances in Piazza Luigi Sodo.
Tips
- The evening of June 13th is the most crowded: arrive early to follow the procession and the pyromusical show.
- June in the hills can be hot during the day and cool in the evening: a light sweater is useful.
- Take advantage of the day to visit the ceramic workshops and the Church of Saint Anthony, with its 18th-century majolica floors.
Where to stay
Accommodation is spread among B&Bs and farmhouses in Cerreto Sannita and neighboring towns; for a wider choice of hotels, it is better to look at Telese Terme, a spa town about fifteen minutes away by car.
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Where does it take place — Saint Anthony Feast
Chiesa di Sant'Antonio, Chiesa di San Martino Vescovo e Piazza Luigi Sodo
Piazza Luigi Sodo, 82032 Cerreto Sannita