Patronal Feast of Saint Valentine

Saint Valentine, Patron Saint of Rosasco

February 14th is Saint Valentine's Day, a feast of lovers known worldwide. But in Rosasco, a small municipality in Lomellina, in the province of Pavia, this date has an even deeper meaning: Saint Valentine is, in fact, the patron saint of the town, and the parish church is dedicated to him.

The patronal feast of Rosasco thus combines the liturgical dimension with the more universal one of love. During the solemn Mass dedicated to the Saint, a custom that moves and engages is renewed every year: the offering of the red rose.

The Tradition of the Red Rose

As per custom, all women present at the celebration are given a blessed red rose, always a symbol of love. Along with the "blessed rose," an image of the Saint with the "Prayer of the Betrothed" is also offered. A simple gesture full of meaning, which makes the patronal feast of Rosasco a special event, capable of uniting faith and sentiment.

Rosasco and Lomellina

Rosasco is located in Lomellina, the rice-growing plain of the province of Pavia, in Lombardy, a land of rice paddies and ancient farming traditions. The feast of Saint Valentine is one of the moments that best tell the identity of this village, where devotion to the patron saint intertwines with one of the most heartfelt celebrations of the calendar.