Patronal Feast of Saints Martin and Anthony Abbot in Ferno

The patron saint of Ferno

The Patronal Feast of Ferno is dedicated to Saint Anthony Abbot, patron saint of this municipality in the province of Varese. The event is celebrated on the third Sunday of January, close to the saint's liturgical date (January 17th). The town's parish church, in Piazza Dante, is dedicated to Saints Martin Bishop and Anthony Abbot and is part of the San Paolo VI Pastoral Community, which brings together the parishes of Lonate Pozzolo, Ferno, Sant'Antonino, and Tornavento.

Faith and peasant tradition

Saint Anthony Abbot is traditionally the protector of animals and the farming world: his feast day, throughout Northern Italy, is linked to the rites of animal blessings and bonfires. In Ferno, the celebration combines religious moments — the solemn Mass in honor of the patron saint — with the popular and community dimension, in full tradition of Lombard winter patronal feasts.

A community and its history

The parish church of Ferno has ancient origins, and devotion to the titular saints has accompanied the life of the town for centuries. The Patronal Feast is thus an identity moment for the Ferno community, an occasion to come together around its roots in the heart of winter, in a municipality in the province of Varese just a stone's throw from Milan Malpensa Airport.