Patronal Feast of Saints Peter and Paul in Rocca Susella

A village between three valleys

Rocca Susella, in the Province of Pavia, stands in an elevated position in the Oltrepò Pavese, where the Ardivestra Valley, the Schizzola Valley, and the Rile Valley meet. In the Middle Ages, it was known as Rocha de Axixellae and Castrum Saxillae, and over the centuries, it belonged to the bishopric of Tortona, then to the Ruino family of Montepicco, the Gambarana family, and the barons de' Ghislanzoni. Today, it is a small hillside municipality easily accessible from Voghera and Casteggio along the SP92.

The village patrons

The patronal feast of Rocca Susella is dedicated to Saints Peter and Paul and is traditionally celebrated on the third Sunday of September. The heart of the celebration is the parish church of Saints Peter and Paul, in the center of the village, which houses a gilded wooden statue of the Madonna of the Rosary and furnishings from the 17th century: a small treasure chest of sacred art that tells the spiritual history of the community.

Devotion and community

As in many villages in the Oltrepò, the patronal feast is the time when the village comes together. The religious celebration, with the solemn mass in honor of the saints, is accompanied by moments of conviviality that mark the life of a hillside community. It is an opportunity to rediscover the identity of a territory made of vineyards, woods, and small hamlets, first and foremost Chiusani, famous for its ancient chestnut groves and its chestnut festival.

In the calendar of local traditions

The feast of Saints Peter and Paul is part of a cycle of anniversaries that animate Rocca Susella's year, from the Feast of Saint Zaccaria on July 1st to the Chestnut and Marron Festival in the hamlet of Chiusani. Visiting the village on the occasion of the patronal feast means coming into contact with the most authentic Oltrepò Pavese, far from the major tourist flows.