Patronal Feast of Saint Leo the Great and Saint Roch

The most anticipated event of the year in Sperlonga

The Patronal Feast of Saint Leo the Great and Saint Roch is the most heartfelt event of the year in Sperlonga, a village in the southern Pontine area of the province of Latina, in Lazio, recognized as one of the Most Beautiful Villages in Italy. For three days, from Saturday to Monday of the first weekend of September, the town perched above the sea is transformed: the streets and stairways of the historic center fill with music, the squares host evening concerts, and two solemn processions traverse almost the entire town, from the upper reaches down to the marina.

A devotion born to ward off corsairs

The liturgical calendar commemorates Saint Leo the Great on November 10 and Saint Roch on August 16, but in Sperlonga, a centuries-old tradition dictates that the two saints be celebrated together at the beginning of September. This devotion has its roots in the 16th century, when the town, repeatedly besieged and looted by Turkish corsairs, decided to entrust itself to the protection of Saint Leo the Great—the Pope who, according to tradition, stopped Attila—and Saint Roch, invoked for miraculous healings and protection against epidemics. Since then, the Sperlonga community has renewed this dual patronage every year.

The processions: from the village to the sea

The religious heart of the festival takes place in the parish church of Santa Maria Assunta in Cielo, where the statues of the patrons are displayed in the days leading up to the celebrations, amidst rosaries and Eucharistic celebrations. On Sunday, after the solemn mass often presided over by the Archbishop of Gaeta, the statue of Saint Leo the Great is carried in procession through the main streets of the town. Monday is dedicated to Saint Roch, featuring the most characteristic procession: the parade continues until evening and reaches the sea, where a spectacular fireworks show illuminates the bay; the statue then ascends back toward the historic center, passing through the chapel dedicated to the saint, winding through the white alleys and staircases of the village.

Concerts, bands, and performances in the square

Alongside the religious rites, the Festival Committee organizes a rich secular program every year: brass bands roaming the streets from the morning, musical evenings in Piazza Colombo, Piazza Europa, and Piazza Fontana featuring wind orchestras, gospel choirs, and guest artists. The 2025 edition featured, among others, the Body & Soul Band, the S. Giorgio a Liri Grand Wind Orchestra conducted by Maestro Carlo Morelli, and the Phoenix Gospel Choir, before the grand pyrotechnic finale over the sea.

A festival that unites the community, even from afar

The festival is organized by the Patron Saints Festival Committee in collaboration with the Municipality of Sperlonga and the parish. In recent years, the celebrations have also reached the web: the official website collects donations to support the costs of the festival, and live streaming allows emigrant Sperlongani to follow the processions and concerts from afar, a sign of how this event remains the identity-binding glue of the community.

September in Sperlonga: the ideal time to visit the village

The patronal feast falls at a perfect time to discover Sperlonga: the beaches are still enjoyable, the medieval historic center offers spectacular views of the Tyrrhenian Sea, and just a few minutes away, you can visit the Grotto of Tiberius and the National Archaeological Museum with the famous sculptural groups from the emperor's villa. An opportunity to combine sea, culture, and popular tradition in the heart of the Riviera of Ulysses.