Patronal Feast of Saint Tammaro the Bishop

The Patronal Feast of Grumo Nevano

The Patronal Feast of Saint Tammaro the Bishop is the most anticipated event of the year in Grumo Nevano, a town in the Metropolitan City of Naples, Campania. Every year, in early September, the entire community unites around its patron saint for ten days of celebrations that weave together popular faith, tradition, music, and conviviality.

Who was Saint Tammaro

Saint Tammaro was a bishop of North African origin who, according to tradition, arrived in Campania in the 5th century while fleeing the Vandal persecutions. During the 17th century, the inhabitants of Grumo Nevano proclaimed him their patron, bringing part of his relics from Benevento and spreading his cult. To this day, the saint's relics are kept in the Pontifical Basilica of Saint Tammaro the Bishop, the town's mother church, which was elevated to a minor pontifical basilica in 1982 and falls under the Diocese of Aversa.

The Bell Tower Firework display and the silver statue

The most spectacular moment of the festival is the Incendio al Campanile (Bell Tower Firework display), a breathtaking pyrotechnic show that envelops the basilica's bell tower in a blaze of light and fire, greeted every year by large crowds in Piazza Pio XII. The heart of the devotion is the silver statue of Saint Tammaro, which is solemnly welcomed at the start of the festivities and carried in procession through the town streets until its return to the chapel for the Octave.

Sacred and popular traditions

Alongside liturgical celebrations—Holy Masses, novenas, and processions—the festival offers a rich secular program: food festivals featuring traditional dishes, Neapolitan tammurriata performances, pop music concerts, brass band exhibitions, and comedy nights. The event also includes a sporting highlight: the historic night-time cycling race dedicated to the memory of Raffaele Belardo.

A community event

Organized by the parish of the Pontifical Basilica with the involvement of local associations, from Catholic Action to local groups, the Feast of Saint Tammaro is much more than a religious recurrence: it is the moment when Grumo Nevano rediscovers its identity, drawing back many fellow citizens who have emigrated and return for the occasion. It is a blend of faith, memory, and joy that is renewed every September.