Saint Blaise Festival

A festival that belongs to the community

In the heart of the Velino Valley, at the foot of the Laga Mountains, the small town of Castel Sant'Angelo (Rieti province, Lazio) renews its most cherished celebration every year in early February: the Saint Blaise Festival, dedicated to the bishop and martyr who serves as the patron of the town and parish. It is an event that weaves together religious devotion and popular tradition, drawing residents from the various hamlets—Canetra, Mozza, Vasche, Ponte Alto, Paterno, and Cotilia—into a single community gathered around its saint.

Who was Saint Blaise?

Saint Blaise was the Bishop of Sebaste, in Armenia, and suffered martyrdom in the early 4th century. Tradition remembers him primarily as the protector of the throat: according to hagiographic accounts, he miraculously saved a child who was choking on a fish bone. This episode gave rise to the famous rite of the blessing of the throat, performed by a priest holding two crossed candles to the throats of the faithful. It is one of the most widespread devotions in Italy, and in Castel Sant'Angelo, it holds particular significance because the saint's relics are preserved in the Church of San Biagio in Canetra.

The procession and the floral carpet

The highlight of the festival is the solemn procession that winds through the village streets: the statue of the saint, carried on shoulders, leads a long procession of the faithful accompanied by the music of the Castel Sant'Angelo Alpine Band. The streets are adorned with the traditional infiorata, featuring carpets of petals and floral arrangements created by volunteers along the route, turning the village into a path of colors. The Eucharistic celebration then gathers the entire community, often joined by the Bishop of Rieti, who visits to show the diocese's closeness to the smaller towns of the territory.

Faith, memory, and identity

The Saint Blaise Festival is more than just a religious rite: it is a gathering that strengthens the bonds of a mountain village, where the community finds itself in its roots. The procession is surrounded by the simple gestures of tradition—greetings between families, sharing, and the care taken in preparing the floral carpets—that make this February day one of the most defining moments of the year for Castel Sant'Angelo.

A village to discover in the Rieti area

Situated in an area rich in history and nature, just a few kilometers from the famous Cotilia Thermal Baths and not far from Rieti, Castel Sant'Angelo offers visitors the chance to experience an authentic Lazio, made of villages, traditions, and Apennine landscapes. Participating in the Saint Blaise Festival means immersing yourself in the life of a community that proudly guards its faith and its memory.