Saint Agatha Festival in Gallipoli
The feast of the city's co-patron in the beautiful Salento town
About Saint Agatha Gallipoli
An ancient devotion in the heart of Salento
The Saint Agatha Festival is one of the most deeply felt spiritual events in Gallipoli, the "beautiful city" overlooking the Ionian Sea in the province of Lecce, in the Salento region. Saint Agatha, a martyr from Catania who died in 251 AD, is the co-patron of the city alongside Saint Sebastian. Her devotion in Gallipoli has been documented for centuries, intertwined with the story of the Saint's famous relic.
The legend of the relic
According to tradition, in 1126, the relic of Saint Agatha's breast miraculously arrived on the Gallipoli coast, held between the lips of a child. The relic remained in the city until 1389, when Prince Del Balzo Orsini transferred it to Galatina, to the Basilica of Santa Caterina d'Alessandria. Since then, the "dispute" over the relic has inextricably linked Gallipoli and Galatina, and every year a fragment returns to the city for the festival days.
The February 4th procession
The highlight is the solemn procession on February 4th, the eve of the martyrdom. The silver statue of Saint Agatha is carried through the streets of the historic center on the shoulders of the faithful, accompanied by the statue of Saint Sebastian, representatives of all local confraternities, and the sounds of the marching band. It is one of the longest and most attended processions of the year, drawing thousands of worshippers.
The Greek-Byzantine rite
A liturgical peculiarity makes the Gallipoli festival unique: during the solemn Eucharistic celebration on February 5th, presided over by the bishop in the Co-Cathedral, a passage from the Gospel is proclaimed (chanted) in both Italian and Ancient Greek, a testament to Salento's deep historical ties with the Hellenic and Byzantine tradition.
The patron saint of nursing mothers
In Gallipoli, Saint Agatha is invoked as the protector of nursing mothers, due to the martyrdom she suffered and the relic associated with her breast. This aspect of the devotion makes the festival particularly dear to the families and women of the city.
An identity-defining event
Much more than just a religious anniversary, the Saint Agatha Festival is an identity-defining event that involves the entire Gallipoli community. Days of preparation, the novena, liturgical rites, band concerts, and moments of popular gathering frame the celebrations, marking the winter calendar of this Salento town and the devotional Puglia region.
Saint Agatha Gallipoli — edition 2026
The 2026 Agatine Jubilee
The 2026 edition of the Saint Agatha Festival in Gallipoli was marked by an exceptional event: the opening of the Agatine Jubilee, a year of grace (February 5, 2026 - February 5, 2027) proclaimed by the Diocese of Nardò-Gallipoli to celebrate two anniversaries of extraordinary spiritual and identity-based importance: the 300th anniversary of the dedication of the Co-Cathedral to Saint Agatha (1726) and the 900th anniversary of the discovery of the relic of the breast of the Saint on the Gallipoli coast (1126).
Novena and festival days
The celebrations were preceded by the novena, which began on January 26th, with daily Eucharistic celebrations at 6:30 PM accompanied by book presentations on Gallipoli's musical history, diocesan meetings, and cultural moments. The festival itself took place from February 1st to 5th, with the addition of February 7th.
Main highlights
- February 4th — Solemn procession through the streets of the historic center with the silver statues of Saint Agatha and Saint Sebastian, the confraternities, and the town band.
- February 5th — Solemn opening of the Agatine Jubilee with a concelebrated Mass presided over by Cardinal Lazzaro You Heung-Sik, Prefect of the Dicastery for the Clergy, in the Co-Cathedral.
- February 7th — Welcoming of the precious relic arriving from Galatina, accompanied by the Friars Minor, followed by a solemn concelebrated Mass.
A year of events
The opening of the Jubilee launched a rich calendar that will continue in the following months with the peregrinatio of the statue and the reliquary in the city's parishes and hospitals, initiatives for young people and schools, scientific publications on the history of the cathedral, and, in August, the arrival in Gallipoli and Galatina of significant relics of Saint Agatha granted by the Chapter of the Cathedral of Catania.
Programme Saint Agatha Gallipoli 2026
Novena — January 26 to February 4
- Daily Eucharistic celebration at 6:30 PM in the Co-Cathedral
- January 27 — Presentation of a volume on the musical history of Gallipoli
- Diocesan meetings, poetry contest, and cultural activities
- February 4 — Theatrical performance on the martyrdom
February 4 — Solemn procession
- Procession through the historic center with the silver statues of Saint Agatha and Saint Sebastian
- Participation of all local confraternities
- Accompanied by the town marching band
February 5 — Opening of the Agatine Jubilee
- Solemn concelebrated Mass presided over by Cardinal Lazzaro You Heung-Sik, Prefect of the Dicastery for the Clergy
- Proclamation of the Gospel in Italian and Ancient Greek
February 7 — Welcoming of the relic
- Arrival of the precious relic from Galatina, accompanied by the Friars Minor
- Solemn concelebrated Mass
Highlights Saint Agatha Gallipoli 2026
Prices Saint Agatha Gallipoli 2026
Practical information — Saint Agatha Gallipoli
How to get there
Gallipoli can be reached by car via the SS101 Lecce-Gallipoli road; the train station is served by Ferrovie del Sud Est with connections from Lecce. The nearest airport is Brindisi (Salento).
Where it takes place
The celebrations are centered in the Basilica Co-Cathedral of Saint Agatha, in the historic center of Gallipoli (the island), from which the procession departs through the streets of the old town.
When
The festival is concentrated in the first days of February, with the main procession on February 4th and the solemn celebration on February 5th.
Admission
Participation in processions and rites is free and open to the public.
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Where does it take place — Saint Agatha Gallipoli
Basilica Concattedrale di Sant'Agata
Via Antonietta De Pace, 73014 Gallipoli