Saint Agostina Pietrantoni Festival

A Sabina village and its saint

Perched among the woods of the Lucretili Mountains at an altitude of over eight hundred meters, Pozzaglia Sabina is one of the smallest municipalities in the Province of Rieti, in the mountainous heart of Lazio. It was here, on March 27, 1864, that Livia Pietrantoni was born. She would later take the name Sister Agostina upon joining the Sisters of Charity of Saint Jeanne-Antide Thouret. A nurse at the Santo Spirito in Sassia hospital in Rome, she died in 1894 at the hands of a patient she had been caring for. Beatified in 1972, canonized in 1999, and proclaimed patron saint of Italian nurses in 2003, she remains the most powerful symbol of this village of just a few hundred inhabitants.

When it is celebrated

The festival traditionally falls on the second Sunday of September and is more than just a religious observance: it is the day when families originally from Pozzaglia return to the village, and when the town fills with pilgrims, professional associations, and healthcare workers who arrive from across the peninsula to pay homage to their patron saint.

How the day unfolds

The structure of the festival remains faithful to tradition year after year. The morning begins with guided tours of the saint's landmarks, led by local volunteers, followed by the day's centerpiece: the solemn outdoor Holy Mass in Piazza Sant'Agostina, presided over by the Bishop of Tivoli and concelebrated by the parish priest and diocesan clergy. Following the celebration, the procession winds through the village streets, a long parade of the faithful accompanied by prayers, invocations, and hymns.

• Guided tours of Saint Agostina's birthplace, now transformed into a small museum
• The rotta-oratorio and the Rifolta Chapel, a place of prayer linked to the saint's childhood
• The Holy Mass in the square, an outdoor Eucharistic celebration
• The solemn procession with the relic through the village streets
• A concert by the Pozzaglia brass band in the afternoon
• Eucharistic adoration and the kissing of the relic in the parish church of San Nicola di Bari

Must-see spots

Even outside of the festival day, Pozzaglia Sabina maintains a dedicated itinerary for the saint. The birthplace is open to visitors and showcases the peasant life of the Pietrantoni family through objects and documents; a path marked by informative panels and murals winds through the village, while just outside the town lie the grotto of Saint Michael the Archangel and trails leading up to the pastures. The saint's relics are kept in the parish church of San Nicola di Bari, a constant destination for pilgrimages.

Who organizes it

The event is the result of a collaboration between the Municipality of Pozzaglia Sabina, the Parish of San Nicola di Bari, and the Associazione Fedeli di Santa Agostina APS, founded in 2006 specifically to manage pilgrim hospitality and promote the sites linked to the saint, with the constant support of the Sisters of Charity.

Why attend

Those who arrive in Pozzaglia on the second Sunday of September will find something that transcends a classic patronal feast: a tiny community that, for one day, becomes the national focal point for an entire professional category, set against a mountain backdrop that remains one of the most authentic and least touristy corners of the Rieti Sabina. The celebrations are open to everyone and participation is free.