Patronal Feast of SS. Flavio and Faustina

The Patronal Feast of Grotte di Castro

The Patronal Feast of SS. Flavio and Faustina is the most deeply felt identity-defining event in Grotte di Castro, a small town in the province of Viterbo, in northern Lazio, nestled in the Monti Volsini just a few kilometers from the northern shore of Lake Bolsena. The event takes place on fixed dates, May 7th and 8th, and does not change from year to year, allowing visitors to plan their trip well in advance.

Flavio of Nicomedia and Faustina of Cyzicus, both venerated as martyrs, are the protectors of the local community. Their relics, kept in reliquary busts, are the visual heart of the celebration: they are displayed at the beginning of the festivities and carried in a procession through the streets of the historic center, amidst tuff houses, arches, and stairways that tell the long history of the village.

May 7th: Saint Flavio the Martyr

The first day is dedicated to Saint Flavio and is the most liturgically intense. It begins at dawn in the Basilica Sanctuary of Santa Maria del Suffragio, an imposing 17th-century building that dominates the town, with mass and the exhibition of the saint's reliquary bust. In the late morning, the solemn mass is accompanied by the singing of the local Schola Cantorum, while in the afternoon the procession takes place—the most anticipated moment: the route winds through Via della Fratta and Via del Santuario, featuring the "Città di Grotte di Castro" Historical Pageant in costume and the town brass band.

At nightfall, the atmosphere shifts to Piazza Cavour, where the wait for the fireworks is accompanied by live music, the Saint Flavio lottery draw, and the distribution of porchetta sandwiches offered by the Pro Loco. The day concludes with a fireworks display at the municipal stadium, visible from much of the town and the surrounding countryside.

May 8th: Saint Faustina and the Fair

The second day is dedicated to Saint Faustina. After the morning solemn mass, the reliquary bust is transported to the Oratory of Santa Croce; in the late morning, in the parish church of San Pietro Apostolo, mass is celebrated with the supplication to the Madonna of the Rosary of Pompeii, followed by vespers in the afternoon.

Simultaneously, from the early hours of the morning, the May 8th Fair comes to life—one of the longest-running village fairs in the Upper Viterbo area. Stalls selling goods, agricultural tools, sweets, and local delicacies occupy the streets of the center: it is the moment when the religious and popular dimensions merge, as has happened for centuries in the patronal feasts of Central Italy.

What to expect

• Solemn masses and the display of the two patron saints' reliquary busts
• Procession with a historical pageant in costume and a brass band
• Evening in Piazza Cavour with music, a lottery, and porchetta from the Pro Loco
• Fireworks display at the municipal stadium
• The May 8th Fair along the town streets

Around the festival: the village and the Tuscia

Those arriving for the festival will find a village worth visiting even outside the celebration days. The historic center preserves the Renaissance palace attributed to the circle of Vignola, now home to the Museo Civita, with artifacts documenting the Etruscan presence in the area, and the Fontana Grande on Via Roma. Nearby are the Etruscan necropolises of Pianezze and Centocamere, carved into the tuff.

The local cuisine is typical of the Upper Viterbo area: the IGP Upper Viterbo potato, celebrated in August by a dedicated festival, Colli Etruschi Viterbesi wines, Tuscia olive oil, pecorino cheese, and homemade pasta such as pappardelle with wild boar sauce. A gastronomic stop is as much an integral part of the experience as the procession.

A resilient tradition

In a territory marked by the depopulation of small towns, the feast of SS. Flavio and Faustina remains the moment when Grotte di Castro comes together: emigrants return, family homes are reopened, and local brotherhoods and associations mobilize. It is organized jointly by the Pro Loco, the Parish, and the Municipality of Grotte di Castro, and participation in religious and civil events is free and open to all.