Polish Flag Day in Rome (Polish Community)

A Polish national holiday in the heart of Rome's suburbs

On May 2nd, Poland celebrates National Flag Day, which coincides with the Day of the Polish Diaspora worldwide. These two observances, established in 2004 and 2002 respectively, invite Poles everywhere to display the white-and-red flag and reaffirm their shared identity. In Rome, this celebration has found a home in the Settecamini district, within the territory of the Municipality of Rome, in the Metropolitan City of Rome Capital, in the Lazio Region: here, around the Church of Santa Maria dell'Olivo, the capital's Polish community gathers for a day of reflection and celebration.

The meaning of the white-and-red

The Polish flag is more than just an institutional symbol: for the approximately twenty million Poles living outside their national borders, it represents the most immediate link to their homeland. Displaying it on May 2nd is a declaration of belonging that has not been lost through emigration. The Polish community in Rome and Lazio, one of the most deeply rooted foreign communities in the capital, has turned this date into a moment of collective reaffirmation: families, workers, students, and clergy, who often arrived in Italy at different times and for different reasons, come together.

What happens in Settecamini

The focal point of the day is the liturgical celebration at the Church of Santa Maria dell'Olivo, followed by commemorative moments organized together with the community. The flag-raising ceremony and official speeches mark the most formal part of the morning; around this, a convivial dimension develops, fostering meetings between Polish families from the eastern quadrant of Rome and local residents.

• Religious moment — the Mass in the parish church, the heart of the event;
• Flag ceremony — the display of the white-and-red banner and official addresses;
• Diplomatic presence — the Ambassador of Poland to Italy and the Ambassador to the Holy See have taken part in the celebrations;
• Institutional presence of Lazio — the President of the Lazio Regional Council, Antonello Aurigemma, has participated in the commemorative moments;
• Community meeting — a social space open to families and the neighborhood.

A bridge between two communities

The initiative is part of a broader framework of activities promoting integration and closeness between communities. In the words spoken during the 2026 ceremony, the festival was defined as "a symbol of belonging and dignity," with explicit recognition for Polish citizens who "bring competence and values everywhere." It is a message that carries double weight in a peripheral neighborhood like Settecamini, where the Polish presence has been part of the daily fabric for decades and where the parish serves as a social reference point.

Settecamini, the neighborhood

Settecamini is located along the Via Tiburtina, at the north-eastern edge of the territory of Rome Capital, just before the Grande Raccordo Anulare (GRA). It is a neighborhood of ancient origin—the toponym refers to the Roman consular road—which grew significantly in the second half of the twentieth century and is now populated by a mixed community, in which families of Polish origin have a recognizable presence. The Church of Santa Maria dell'Olivo, dedicated to the patron saint of the neighborhood, is the place around which much of the local associative life revolves, and it also hosts other community events throughout the year.

Who is it for?

The Polish Flag Day in Rome is not a tourist festival and should not be sought out as such: it is an identity-based celebration, free and open, which passersby can experience with respect and curiosity. For Poles residing in Lazio, it is the annual opportunity to meet; for Romans, it is a window into one of the most numerous and least conspicuous foreign communities in the city. Those wishing to delve deeper into the Polish presence in Rome can combine this date with a visit to the national church of Saint Stanislaus, at Botteghe Oscure, in the historic center.