Penitential Procession of Sant'Erasmo

A centuries-old rite in the heart of the Aterno Valley

The Penitential Procession of Sant'Erasmo is one of the oldest and most characteristic religious events in the municipality of Acciano, a medieval village of just over two hundred inhabitants nestled in the Aterno Valley, in the province of L'Aquila, in the heart of the mountainous Abruzzo region. Every year, on the first Sunday of June, the villages of Beffi and Succiano renew a cult that has its roots at least in the second half of the 16th century, when the sanctuary dedicated to the bishop and martyr saint was built.

Two twin processions towards the Hermitage

The uniqueness of the rite lies in its dual and almost competitive nature. Two distinct processions depart simultaneously from the two villages: one from the church of San Michele Arcangelo in Beffi, the other from the church of Madonna di Loreto in Succiano. Each community carries its own statue of Sant'Erasmo on its shoulders, claiming its authenticity and miraculous powers. The faithful travel along the steep and rugged paths that overlook the two villages until they reunite at the locality of Piè di Stritt', then continue together towards the Cunetta di Sant'Erasmo, where the priest blesses the fields to ensure an abundant harvest.

Arrival at the sanctuary on Monte Offermo

The journey, lasting about three hours, finally leads to the Hermitage of Sant'Erasmo, nestled on a lonely mountain pass between the Aterno Valley and the Navelli plain, on the slopes of Monte Offermo (1,330 meters). From the ridge, the view sweeps over the Sirente massif to the south and the Gran Sasso chain to the north, with views of the perched villages of Bominaco, San Pio, and Calascio. At the hermitage, Holy Mass is celebrated, bringing the two communities together.

The blessed bread of Sant'Erasmo

At the end of the religious service, the priest blesses the bread of Sant'Erasmo, which is distributed to the faithful. According to popular tradition, even a simple crumb of this bread protects the stomach from illness and shields the fields from hail: Sant'Erasmo is in fact invoked against visceral pain, due to his martyrdom, but also by sailors through the assonance of his name with St. Elmo's fire.

Faith, identity, and landscape

More than just a patronal feast, the procession of Acciano is a community rite that weaves together devotion, local rivalry between villages, and emigration: the sanctuary preserves ex-votos of all kinds, including coins left by Abruzzese emigrants in America. Immersed in the Sirente-Velino Regional Natural Park, the event offers participants a rare encounter between popular spirituality and pristine mountain landscape.