Patronal Feast of Saints Lidano and Carlo da Sezze

A festival of identity in the heart of the Lepini Mountains

The Patronal Feast of Saints Lidano and Carlo da Sezze is the most defining event of the year for this town in the province of Latina, Lazio. Every July 2nd, the Sezze community gathers around its two patrons. The day is a recognized public holiday, weaving together liturgical celebrations, expressions of popular piety, and social gatherings that involve local associations, institutions, and residents. As local chronicles note, the religious observance has always been accompanied by public manifestations, such as processions and shared festivities.

The two patrons: a medieval abbot and a Franciscan mystic

Saint Lidano d'Antena (1026-1118) was a Benedictine abbot who, according to tradition, contributed to the reclamation of the Pontine Marshes and the Christianization of the territory; his remains rest in the high altar of the Co-cathedral of Santa Maria in the historic center of Sezze. Saint Carlo da Sezze (1613-1670), born Giancarlo Marchionne, was a Franciscan friar, author of theological and autobiographical works, and a spiritual advisor to Roman prelates and nobles, canonized in the 20th century. The dual dedication of the festival thus reflects two distinct eras of Sezze's religious history, from the Middle Ages to the Baroque period.

The ritual: triduum, solemn Mass, and the procession of the reliquary bust

The heart of the festival is deeply religious. In the days leading up to July 2nd, the traditional preparatory triduum takes place, while the day of the feast itself features a solemn Mass at the Co-cathedral of Santa Maria. A deeply moving moment is the procession carrying the reliquary bust of Saint Lidano through the streets of the historic center, which takes on even greater significance during jubilee years—such as the 900th anniversary of the saint's death, celebrated in 2018 with a cardinal and a special postal cancellation in Piazza Duomo.

The 2026 millennium and the Blessing of the Donkey

The 2026 edition holds special meaning: it marks the millennium of the birth of Saint Lidano (1026-2026). For the occasion, the 'Associazione Dei Lidano' was founded, bringing together about fifty residents of Sezze who bear the patron's name—with members even from Australia and the United States—to preserve the historical and cultural heritage linked to the saint. On July 2, 2026, in front of the Cathedral of Santa Maria, the association promoted the 'Blessing of the Donkey', an initiative with a playful spirit yet rich in symbolism: a tribute to the monk who, while Christianizing the Pontine Marshes, according to local lore, 'managed to make even the animals Christian'.

A festival within the 'Estate Setina'

The patronal festival is part of the 'Estate Setina' (Sezze Summer), a program promoted by the Municipality of Sezze that animates the historic center and its neighborhoods between June and September with over forty events, including festivals, concerts, food fairs, and the 'Notte Bianca' (White Night) at the end of August. In this context, the feast of the patrons remains the most authentic moment, capable of attracting numerous participants each year and strengthening the bond between the city and its history.

Sezze, a balcony over the Pontine Plain

Visiting Sezze during the festival is also an opportunity to discover a village overlooking the Pontine Plain, with its medieval alleys, Romanesque-Gothic co-cathedral, and the panoramic views of the Lepini Mountains. The Lazio Region and the province of Latina preserve here one of the oldest patronal traditions of the territory, passed down from generation to generation.