Patronal Feast of Saint Vincent Ferrer

The Patron Saint of Cersosimo

Cersosimo is an ancient village of about six hundred inhabitants in the province of Potenza, nestled at 548 meters above sea level near the Calabrian border, in the Pollino area. Founded around the year 1000 by Basilian monks, it preserves a 10th-century Basilian monastery with precious frescoes and archaeological sites. Its patron saint is Saint Vincent Ferrer, celebrated every year with the most important feast of the Cersosimo summer.

The Dancing Statue

The heart of the feast is the procession of the saint's statue, carried on shoulders through the village streets: according to tradition, the bearers make the statue "dance," a gesture of popular devotion that involves the entire community. The procession is accompanied by the brass band, popular songs and dances, while in the evening the sky lights up with fireworks displays.

Atmosphere and Flavors

Along the village streets, food stalls offer Lucanian specialties: local sausages, prosciutto, and salami, focaccias, and the excellent olive oil for which Cersosimo is renowned. The feast combines the sacred and the profane in a climate of great participation, with floral decorations, musical groups, and convivial moments.

Cersosimo and the Territory

Organized by the Pro Loco of Cersosimo together with the parish, the patronal feast is also an opportunity to discover a village that has preserved its Greco-Byzantine roots intact, with historic walls, stone houses, and unspoiled nature in the heart of the Lucanian Pollino.