Patronal Feast of Saint Potitus Martyr and Our Lady of Succour

A feast uniting the patron saint and the co-patroness

In San Potito Ultra, a small town in the province of Avellino nestled in the Salzola valley, the most anticipated event of the year does not fall on the patron saint's actual feast day, but in early September. Saint Potitus Martyr, who gives the town its name, is commemorated by the liturgical calendar on January 14th, but the solemn festivities have long been moved to September 8th, when the community celebrates him alongside Our Lady of Succour, the co-patroness of this Irpinian village. It is an ancient and practical choice: September is the month when field work concludes and the town fills up again, thanks in part to the return of those living far away.

Devotion to Our Lady of Succour

The religious heart of the festival is the Church of Sant'Antonio Abate, a 17th-century building in the historic center recognizable by its bell tower. Here, the rosary, preparatory celebrations, and solemn masses of the feast day take place. On the afternoon of September 8th, the statue of the Virgin is carried through the town streets in a slow, highly attended procession, accompanied by the notes of the band and the illuminations that draw arches of light over the streets of the center. For many local families, this is the most defining moment of the year, the time when the community truly comes together.

Brass bands, an Irpinian heritage

As in all of inland Campania, the patronal feast cannot be understood without brass bands. In San Potito Ultra, the day opens with the morning tour of the town band through the streets, while the evening is reserved for the grand band concert in the square, featuring renowned ensembles invited for the occasion: over the years, historic groups from Southern Italy have performed, such as the "Città di Lecce" band, which takes center stage in the bandstand alongside the "Città di San Potito Ultra" band.

The secular program and concerts in the square

Alongside the religious program, the "Maria S.S. del Soccorso" Festival Committee builds a secular program every year that transforms Piazza Baroni Amatucci into an open-air stage. In recent years, the evenings have featured well-known names from the Italian and Neapolitan music scene:

• 2025 — concert by Franco Ricciardi with the Pop Medina Tour, September 9th in the square;
• 2024 — Riccardo Fogli in concert on September 9th, following the evening with Enrico Capuano and Tammurriatarock;
• 2022 — the group La Bottega dei Ricordi and a tribute to Rino Gaetano.

There is no shortage of events dedicated to children, with bouncy castles and entertainment during the first days of the festival, and stalls selling sweets and toys lining the route of the procession.

The fireworks

The most spectacular moment arrives late at night, when the fireworks display closes the day of September 8th, illuminating the valley. It is a long-awaited ritual that attracts visitors from neighboring Irpinian towns and symbolically marks the farewell to the festival.

The Festival Committee and town life

The "Maria S.S. del Soccorso" Festival Committee is one of the most active associations in the municipality: in addition to the September festivities, it organizes other events that mark the local calendar, from the Fusillo co' Ciurillo Festival in July to the Wild Boar and Chestnut Festival in autumn. A commitment that, in a town of just over 1,400 inhabitants, keeps social life vibrant and attracts visitors.

What to see in San Potito Ultra

Those arriving for the festival can take the opportunity to discover the town: the aforementioned Church of Sant'Antonio Abate, the Church of Sant'Antonio di Padova on Via Roma, and the Museum of Labor, which collects tools and testimonies of the Irpinian peasant and artisan civilization. All around, the woods and hills of Irpinia offer a natural setting that perfectly complements the day of celebration.