Patronal Feast of Saint Bernardino of Siena

A devotion brought from Tuscany

The cult of Saint Bernardino of Siena arrived in Piansano, a small town in the Province of Viterbo in the Lazio region, around the mid-16th century. It was brought by settlers from Arezzo, the Casentino, and the Val di Chiana who repopulated the village at the behest of Cardinal Alessandro Farnese the Younger, nephew of Pope Paul III. With them, the Sienese saint replaced the previous patrons, Saint Herculanus and Saint John the Baptist, and has remained the town's protector ever since: local records document the festival as early as 1630, when the village held a palio in honor of the patron saint.

The religious heart: the May 20th procession

The most poignant moment remains the solemn procession on the saint's liturgical day, May 20th. The parade, which can stretch over a kilometer, opens with the Confraternity of the Most Holy Sacrament in white robes and red capes, followed by the faithful carrying the wooden statue of Saint Bernardino on their shoulders under a gilded canopy. The streets are transformed by a stunning infiorata (flower festival): at dawn, the children of Piansano lay down carpets of petals and floral compositions along the entire route, featuring figurative scenes and the famous Bernadine JHS monogram, the symbol of the saint's preaching.

The secular side: historical pageant, flag-wavers, and entertainment

In the afternoon, the mood shifts. The town welcomes groups of flag-wavers and musicians and stages its own historical costume pageant, a re-enactment of life and governance in Piansano between 1250 and 1600, involving dozens of local participants. Recent editions have featured performances by local dance schools, acrobatic and street performances, tribute band concerts in the square, and dance evenings, culminating in the traditional evening tombola that brings the whole town together, followed by fireworks to close the festivities.

Fair, flavors, and village life

The patronal feast has always been accompanied by a fair, with stalls and markets lining the streets of the center, and a culinary section managed by local associations: tastings of typical Tuscia products, sweets, and specialties of the rural Alta Tuscia tradition, such as ricotta-filled tortelli. There is no shortage of civic and charitable events, such as morning blood donation drives, exhibitions, conferences, and initiatives dedicated to children, with games and entertainment in the afternoon.

Who organizes it

The event is directed each year by a festival committee formed by the "class" of residents reaching a milestone birthday—in recent years, the Class of 1976, 1977, and 1978—who work in close collaboration with the Municipality of Piansano, the Pro Loco, and the Parish of Saint Bernardino of Siena. It is a typically Lazio and central-Italian formula that renews community involvement year after year and gives each edition a unique character.

Why visit

Visitors from outside the area will find an authentic patronal feast, far from mass tourism circuits: a village of a few thousand inhabitants that, for a few days, transforms into an open-air theater where the sacred and the profane mingle. It is also a great opportunity to discover the Alta Tuscia region, just a few kilometers from Lake Bolsena, Tuscania, and the Lake Mezzano nature reserve, in an area of Lazio known for its olive oil, wine, and pastoral traditions.