Saint Anthony Abbot Festival

A Farming Festival in the Heart of the Senio Valley

The Saint Anthony Abbot Festival is one of the most cherished events for the community of Casola Valsenio, a small municipality in the Province of Ravenna, in the Apennine Emilia-Romagna region. Celebrated in mid-January, around the 17th of the month, the saint's liturgical feast day, the festival combines religious devotion, rural tradition, and village conviviality in a single day that draws residents and visitors from all over the valley.

Saint Anthony Abbot, Protector of Animals

Saint Anthony Abbot, also known as Saint Anthony of the pig, has been the protector of domestic animals and the farming world for centuries. In a land like Casola, characterized by its countryside, livestock, and ancient agricultural traditions, his festival holds a very strong identity value. The most anticipated moment is the blessing of the animals, which takes place in the early afternoon: families and farmers bring dogs, cats, horses, and farmyard animals to receive the blessing, in a rite that intertwines popular faith and respect for the ancient bond between humans and nature.

The Day's Program

The day opens with the morning Holy Masses and the distribution of blessed bread and traditional sweets. In the early afternoon, the animal blessing takes place, followed throughout the afternoon by the distribution of bruschetta, sweets, fritters, chocolate, and mulled wine. The atmosphere is enlivened by the brass band, which plays both outdoors and inside the parish church when the cold or rain requires it, and by entertainment designed for families and children, with animation and a mobile farm for the kids.

The Lottery and Community Spirit

The grand finale of the festival is the lottery draw, which each year offers dozens of prizes donated by local merchants and artisans: gastronomic baskets, vouchers for restaurants, local services, and activities. The proceeds support community and parish initiatives, confirming the spirit of solidarity that animates the event. Organized by the Parish together with the Pro Loco and local associations, the Saint Anthony Abbot Festival is much more than a religious observance: it is a moment when Casola Valsenio comes together around its farming roots.

Among the Popular Traditions of the Romagna Apennines

As in many villages in the Apennines between Romagna and Tuscany, the Saint Anthony festival in Casola Valsenio marks the heart of winter and the anticipation of the warmer season. It is an opportunity to rediscover the flavors and rituals of the past, in a town known for its herb gardens and its rural vocation, and to experience an authentic event far from mass tourist circuits.