Sacred Fire Festival of Saint Anthony the Abbot — The Focarone of Bagnaia

The 2025 edition of the Focarone of Bagnaia opened on Thursday, January 16th, with a mass celebrated by the Bishop of Viterbo, Orazio Francesco Piazza, in the church of San Giovanni Battista, followed by the blessing of the sacred fire of Saint Anthony the Abbot. The pyre prepared by the 'focaroli' — six meters high and about twenty tons of chestnut, oak, and olive wood collected on Monte della Palanzana — was lit at 6:30 PM in Piazza XX Settembre, after the performance of the flag-wavers and the historical pageant through the village streets.

The festival continued until late at night with concerts by Patagarri, fresh from X Factor, the Roman rapper Chicoria, and DJ Jakk, while food stands distributed mulled wine, hot chocolate, and traditional cavallucci. On January 17th, the day of Saint Anthony the Abbot, the festivities concluded with religious celebrations and the blessing of the animals, in the presence of a large crowd of locals and visitors from all over the Tuscia region.