Patronal Feast of Saint Antimo Priest and Martyr
Processions, the Flight of the Angels, and the «Tragedy of Saint Antimo» in the heart of the city
About Patronal Feast of Saint Antimo
The festival that brings Sant'Antimo to a standstill
In the municipality of Sant'Antimo, a populous town in the area north of Naples, within the Metropolitan City of Naples and the Campania region, the Patronal Feast in honor of Saint Antimo, priest and martyr, is not just another date on the calendar: it is the moment when the entire community truly comes together. For weeks, between May and June, the streets are filled with illuminations, the sound of the band accompanies the passage of the Saint's silver bust, and thousands of faithful and visitors arrive from all over the province.
The cult of the Patron Saint and the 1658 relics
The bond between the town and its patron saint dates back to 1658, the year the Saint's relics arrived in the city, a gift linked to the name of the Marchioness Donna Caterina De Moncada. Since then, the anniversary of the arrival and donation of the relics is commemorated every year on August 11, while on September 11, the Patronage of Saint Antimo, priest and martyr is celebrated—a day when the local community gives thanks and the silver bust, after being displayed and celebrated, is sealed back into the Chapel.
The «Tragedy of Saint Antimo»
The dramatic heart of the festival is the «Tragedy of Saint Antimo», a three-act drama written between the 18th and 19th centuries by the theologian Father Giuseppe Campanile, which recounts the Saint's journey toward martyrdom and his eventual beheading. The performance, staged in Sant'Antimo continuously since 1929, is set up on a stage leaning against the ramp of the baronial castle and involves dozens of local performers: it is popular theater in its truest sense, passed down from generation to generation.
The Flight of the Angels
The most anticipated moment is the Flight of the Angels. Two very young performers dressed as angels cross the square suspended from a cable stretched between the church and the baronial castle, descend onto the stage of the Tragedy to recite verses in honor of the Saint and collect his head, then ascend back toward the sky. It is a scene that moves a crowded square every year and is repeated at dawn and in the evening during the peak days of the festivities.
Processions, bearers, and brandea
Processions mark the entire duration of the festival: the silver bust is carried on the shoulders of the portantini (bearers), a traditional Sant'Antimo figure, through the historic center and the outlying neighborhoods. Many families await the Saint's passage in front of their homes as a special blessing; the ancient practice of brandea also survives—handkerchiefs touched to the statue and then kept as a sign of devotion. This is not postcard folklore: it is a deeply living popular religiosity.
Music, illuminations, and fireworks
Alongside the religious dimension, the secular program offers concerts in Piazza della Repubblica—from classical and film music by the Orchestra of the «G. Moscati» Music High School to Neapolitan posteggia, pop-rock, and DJ sets—book presentations in the convent cloister, and above all, firework and pyromusical shows, which close almost every major evening. The illuminations along the streets of the center remain lit for the entire duration of the festivities, and the market stalls complete the atmosphere of a village fair.
Who organizes it
The festival is organized by the Foundation of the Chapel of Saint Antimo Priest and Martyr, chaired by Mario Puca, in collaboration with the Municipality of Sant'Antimo and the Diocese. The official program is presented every year in the Treasury Room of the Sanctuary of Saint Antimo and disseminated through the Municipality's official portal.
Why it's worth the trip
Visitors from outside the area will find one of the most characteristic patronal feasts in the Neapolitan hinterland: a blend of popular theater, devotion, pyrotechnic art, and street life that can be read as an open-air lesson in Campanian anthropology. All events are free and take place outdoors, in the squares and along the streets of the city.
Patronal Feast of Saint Antimo — edition 2026
A four-month-long edition
The 2026 Patronal Feast of Sant'Antimo was officially presented on May 1, 2026, in the Treasury Room of the Sanctuary, in the presence of the Chapel of Saint Antimo Foundation led by president Mario Puca and vice-president Domenico Petito. The calendar opens on May 10 with the eve procession and continues until June 28, the day the silver bust returns to the Chapel, before resuming with the two summer commemorations on August 11 and September 11.
The heart of the festivities
The most intense days are those between May 30 and June 3: the opening procession, the three acts of the «Tragedy of Saint Antimo» on the baronial castle ramp, the Flight of the Angels repeated over three days, and a sequence of concerts in Piazza della Repubblica. The evenings close with illuminations and firework and pyromusical shows.
The music of 2026
The musical lineup features the Orchestra of the «G. Moscati» Music High School with a repertoire of soundtracks and pop songs, the voice of Ida Rendano with traditional Neapolitan posteggia, the concert by Mister Hyde on June 1st from 10:30 PM, the saxophone ensemble of Frank Pezzella, and the closing DJ set on June 3rd.
Religious celebrations
Bishop Msgr. Angelo Spinillo presides over the celebrations on May 11 and September 11. The latter date, the Patronage of Saint Antimo priest and martyr, includes the display of the silver bust from 7:00 AM, morning Eucharistic celebrations, the 7:00 PM evening mass, the flag-lowering at 8:00 PM, and at 8:15 PM, fireworks and the ceremony of sealing the bust in the Chapel.
Programme Patronal Feast of Saint Antimo 2026
May 2026
- May 1 — Official presentation of the program in the Treasury Room of the Sanctuary of Saint Antimo
- May 10 — Eve procession with the silver bust of the Patron Saint and fireworks display
- May 11 — Eucharistic celebration presided over by Bishop Msgr. Angelo Spinillo
- May 16 — Presentation of the book «Twelve Centuries. Legends, Myths, and Stories of Sant'Antimo» by Carmine Di Giuseppe, in the Convent cloister
- May 30 — Opening procession of the festivities; concert by the Orchestra of the «G. Moscati» Music High School in Piazza della Repubblica, featuring soundtracks and pop music; first and second acts of the «Tragedy of Saint Antimo»
- May 31 — Flight of the Angels, in the morning and evening; third act of the «Tragedy»; concert by Ida Rendano with traditional Neapolitan posteggia
June 2026
- June 1 — Flight of the Angels; third act of the «Tragedy»; concert by Mister Hyde from 10:30 PM
- June 2 — Flight of the Angels and final performances of the play
- June 3 — DJ set and musical entertainment in the square
- June 28 — Closing procession through the city streets accompanied by the band, fireworks display, and ceremony of returning the silver bust to the Chapel
Summer additions
- August 11 — Anniversary of the arrival and donation of the Patron Saint's relics, which arrived in Sant'Antimo in 1658
- September 11 — Patronage of Saint Antimo priest and martyr: display of the silver bust from 7:00 AM, Eucharistic celebrations from 7:00 AM to 11:00 AM, 7:00 PM mass presided over by Bishop Msgr. Angelo Spinillo, flag-lowering at 8:00 PM, fireworks and light show at 8:15 PM, ceremony of sealing the bust in the Chapel
Illuminations along the streets of the center and firework and pyromusical shows are scheduled for several evenings, from May 10 until the grand finale on June 28. The detailed program is published on the official portal of the Municipality of Sant'Antimo.
Highlights Patronal Feast of Saint Antimo 2026
- Flight of the Angels on May 31 (morning and evening), June 1 and 2: two young performers dressed as angels cross the square suspended from a cable, descend onto the stage of the «Tragedy», and ascend back to the sky with the Saint's head
- «Tragedy of Saint Antimo» from May 30 to June 2: three-act drama by theologian Father Giuseppe Campanile, performed in Sant'Antimo since 1929
- Processions with the silver bust carried on the shoulders of the portantini, from the eve of May 10 to the closing on June 28
- Concerts: Orchestra of the «G. Moscati» Music High School, Ida Rendano, Mister Hyde (June 1, 10:30 PM), Frank Pezzella's sax ensemble, and the DJ set on June 3
- Firework and pyromusical shows on several evenings and illuminations throughout the center
- Book presentation «Twelve Centuries. Legends, Myths, and Stories of Sant'Antimo» by Carmine Di Giuseppe, on May 16 in the Convent cloister
Prices Patronal Feast of Saint Antimo 2026
Practical information — Patronal Feast of Saint Antimo
How to get there
Sant'Antimo is located a dozen kilometers north of Naples. By train, the city is served by the Sant'Antimo–Sant'Arpino station on the EAV Alifana line (Naples–Aversa–Piedimonte Matese). By car, it can be reached via the Asse Mediano and the roads connecting Naples to Aversa; from Naples-Capodichino airport, the journey is about ten kilometers.
Where it takes place
Events are concentrated in Piazza della Repubblica, in front of the Sanctuary of Saint Antimo and the ramp of the baronial castle, as well as along the streets of the historic center traversed by the processions.
Costs
Free entry to all events: there is no ticketing system.
Tips
For the Flight of the Angels and the acts of the «Tragedy», it is advisable to arrive in the square well in advance, as spaces fill up quickly. On the peak evenings, the center is subject to traffic changes: it is better to park in the peripheral areas and continue on foot.
Information
Foundation of the Chapel of Saint Antimo Priest and Martyr — tel. +39 081 3207202, [email protected]. Events Office of the Municipality of Sant'Antimo: +39 081 8329111.
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Where does it take place — Patronal Feast of Saint Antimo
Piazza della Repubblica e Santuario di Sant'Antimo
Piazza della Repubblica, 80029 Sant'Antimo