Patronal Feast of San Donato — Torchlight Procession and Fair
The historical torchlight procession and the San Donato carrera, between faith and great concerts
About Feast of San Donato
San Donato, the Patron Saint of Rotello
In Rotello, a village in lower Molise in the province of Campobasso, near the border with Puglia, August 7th is the date of the patron saint, San Donato. The festival is the most cherished moment of the year for the community and draws emigrants back to the village from all over the region, in a grand gathering of faith and tradition.
The Historical Torchlight Procession and the Carrera
The heart of the celebration is the historical torchlight procession which, at the end of the solemn novena (late July), accompanies a cart with the Saint's relic along the so-called carrera di San Donato. It is an ancient and evocative rite, which illuminates the village streets with flames and devotion. On August 7th, the feast day, there is the mass, the procession, the fair with stalls, and the parade in historical costumes.
The Great Musical Evenings
Alongside the religious aspect, the San Donato festival offers musical evenings with nationally renowned artists: in 2026, the duo Zero Assoluto will be the star of the August 6th concert. A blend of the sacred and the secular that makes the patronal feast of Rotello an iconic event capable of uniting multiple generations.
Feast of San Donato — edition 2026
In 2026, Rotello once again renews the feast of its patron saint San Donato. After the solemn novena at the end of July and the evocative historical torchlight procession with the Saint's relic along the carrera, on August 6th the festival comes alive with the major concert by Zero Assoluto, while August 7th, the patron saint's day, is marked by the mass, the procession, the fair with stalls, and the parade in historical costumes.
Programme Feast of San Donato 2026
Late July — Novena
- Solemn novena in honor of San Donato
- Historical torchlight procession: cart with the Saint's relic along the "carrera di San Donato"
August 6th
- Evening — concert by the duo Zero Assoluto
August 7th — Patron Saint's Day
- Solemn mass in honor of San Donato
- Procession through the streets of the historic center
- Fair with stalls
- Parade in historical costumes
The detailed timetable will be released by the Festival Committee and the Municipality in the weeks prior.
Highlights Feast of San Donato 2026
Prices Feast of San Donato 2026
Practical information — Feast of San Donato
When
August 7th, feast of the patron saint San Donato; historical torchlight procession at the end of the novena (late July); concert on the evening of August 6th.
How to get there
Rotello is located in lower Molise, in the province of Campobasso, near the border with Puglia.
Admission
Free event and open-air.
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Where does it take place — Feast of San Donato
Centro storico di Rotello