Patronal Feast of Saint Sinforosa and Saint Getulio

A festival uniting faith and community

July 18th is the date around which the entire civil and religious life of Roccadaspide revolves. Located in the province of Salerno, Campania, this town overlooks the Calore valley at the gateway to the Cilento. On this day, the town honors Saint Sinforosa and Saint Getulio, its patron saints, with a multi-day festival that combines liturgical celebrations at the Church of the Nativity of the Most Holy Mary with a rich civil program organized by local associations. It is a classic Southern patronal feast where religious and popular dimensions are inextricably linked.

Origins: The relics of the martyrs of Tivoli

According to local tradition, Sinforosa, Getulio, and their seven children—Crescente, Giuliano, Primitivo, Giustino, Statteo, Nemesio, and Eugenio—were martyred in Tivoli around 120 AD under Emperor Hadrian. Their relics were reportedly brought to Roccadaspide as a gift from Pope Sixtus IV to Prince Tommaso Filomarino in recognition of his contribution to the victory against the Turks in Otranto; a marble plaque in the Church of the Nativity still commemorates this gift. Since then, devotion has remained constant, fueled over the centuries by the graces attributed to the patrons.

Tradition-honored graces

• 1750: The liberation of the territory from caterpillars that were devastating crops, following a votive procession.
• December 16, 1857: Protection of the town during the terrible earthquake that struck Southern Italy.
• 1904: A bell clapper fell from the bell tower without injuring any of the faithful present.

These memories are joined by another deeply felt rite, the 'Scanno' procession, held on the first Sunday of May: from the top of the cliff, the parish priest blesses the entire countryside, a gesture that still links faith to the agricultural life of the valley.

The July 18th procession

The most anticipated moment is the evening procession on July 18th, which winds through the streets of the historic center after the late afternoon solemn mass. The statues of the patrons parade accompanied by banners, the clergy, confraternities, and the kaleidoscope of colors of the 'cente'—traditional votive structures carried by the faithful, a form of popular devotion widespread throughout Cilento that retains a particular vibrancy in Roccadaspide. From the morning, the brass band travels through the town streets, waking the inhabitants and announcing the festive day.

The Saint Sinforosa Medieval Games

The civil program has found its symbol in the Saint Sinforosa Medieval Games, held in Piazza XX Settembre in the days leading up to the feast. Teams compete in traditional challenges that entertain both adults and children:

• Sack races, men's and women's;
• Tug-of-war with mixed teams;
• Wheelbarrow races and three-legged races;
• Musical chairs and ring toss;
• Egg-and-spoon races and watermelon-eating contests;
• The unmissable greasy pole.

In past editions, the organization was handled by the Roccadaspide Youth Forum and, in previous years, by the 'Roccadaspide in Evoluzione' association: it is primarily the local youth who keep this part of the festival alive.

The CorriRoccadaspide

The patronal feast is also historically linked to the CorriRoccadaspide, a road running race organized by the ASD Atletica Sporting Calore and included in the 'Cilento di Corsa' circuit. The route consists of two laps of approximately four kilometers through the town, with awards for the top male and female finishers.

Music, bands, and fireworks

The evenings are marked by brass band concerts, with guest ensembles performing in the square, choral performances, and open-air musical shows. The closing, as per the tradition of Cilento patronal feasts, is entrusted to the midnight fireworks display, which illuminates the fortress and the Calore valley.

Roccadaspide and the Cilento

Dominated by its Norman-origin castle, Roccadaspide is one of the most populous centers in the Cilento hinterland and is famous for the Roccadaspide PGI Chestnut. Participating in the patron saints' festival also means discovering a town made of alleys, stairways, and views over the Alburni hills, a short distance from the temples of Paestum and the Cilento, Vallo di Diano and Alburni National Park.