Patronal Feast of Saint Feliciano the Martyr and Saint Anthony of Padua

A patronal feast with centuries-old roots

The Patronal Feast of Saint Feliciano the Martyr and Saint Anthony of Padua is the most cherished event of the year for the community of Introdacqua, a small village in the Peligna Valley in the province of L'Aquila, recognized as one of the Most Beautiful Villages in Italy. The feast is traditionally celebrated on the penultimate Sunday of August: the date, once fixed for the last Sunday of the month, was moved forward about thirty years ago to allow emigrants to return to the village and participate in the festivities.

The origins of the devotion

The cult of Saint Feliciano has its roots in an event dating back about three centuries, when a delegation from the village traveled to Rome, to the Catacombs of Saint Callixtus, to retrieve the relics of the martyr saint, which are now kept in the parish church. Alongside Saint Feliciano is Saint Anthony of Padua, an ancient protector of the territory, whose statue is carried in procession together with that of the patron saint along the streets of the historic center.

The Dance of the Pupazza

The heart of the festival is the famous Dance of the Pupazza (also known as Pantasima), one of the oldest and most spectacular traditions of Introdacqua. It is a large papier-mâché puppet, several meters high, which a carrier makes dance to the rhythm of the saltarella and tarantella while fireworks and pyrotechnics erupt from the structure. The burning Pupazza, which spins and twirls in the crowded square, brings the evenings of the festival to a spectacular close and is awaited by young and old as the most exciting moment of the celebrations.

A program between the sacred and the profane

For several days, the village comes alive with a rich calendar of religious and civil events:

• The solemn procession with the statues of Saint Feliciano and Saint Anthony of Padua along the streets of the village;
• Brass band concerts and musical performances in the square;
• Traditional games and events for all ages;
• The evocative illuminations that light up the historic center;
• Fireworks and, as a grand finale, the much-anticipated Dance of the Pupazza.

Introdacqua and the Peligna Valley

Set among the alleys and squares of a medieval village at the foot of Monte Rotella, the festival is also an opportunity to discover Introdacqua and the Peligna Valley territory, in Abruzzo, a land of folk traditions, authentic gastronomy, and mountain landscapes. The patronal feast represents the moment when the entire community, together with the emigrants who have returned for the occasion, gathers to renew the identity and roots of the village.