Saint Blaise Festival

A February devotion in the heart of the Sabina

The Saint Blaise Festival is one of the most deeply rooted winter traditions in Forano, a municipality in the Province of Rieti, within the Lazio region. The official calendar of the Municipality of Forano schedules the event for the first Sunday after February 3rd, while February 3rd remains the liturgical date when the Church commemorates the Bishop of Sebaste. The date is therefore not fixed; it changes every year, yet the rhythm remains constant: a community coming together during the coldest time of the year.

Saint Blaise and the blessing of the throat

Saint Blaise is invoked throughout Italy as the protector of the throat. Tradition links him to the story of a child who was choking on a fish bone and was saved by the saint. This gave rise to the rite of the blessing of the throat, performed by crossing two candles in front of the faithful's necks, often at the end of Mass. It is a simple, popular gesture that, in Forano as in many Sabina villages, draws even occasional churchgoers to the service. In many communities, the rite is accompanied by the blessing of fruit or the distribution of blessed bread.

Forano, a village between the Tiber and Mount Soratte

Forano stretches across the green hills of the Sabina at an altitude of just over 200 meters, with views reaching toward the slow-moving Tiber River and the unmistakable silhouette of Mount Soratte. Its origins date back to the Roman era—the name likely derives from the Gens Furia, one of the families who owned villas here—and continued into the Middle Ages with the Fundus Furiano and the castles built around the year 1000. Having become a free municipality in 1262, the village experienced a period of renewal under the Strozzi family, who redesigned the square and the baronial palace, erecting the Church of the Most Holy Trinity in 1682. The 1627 church of the patron saint, Saint Sebastian, remains one of the historical center's architectural and devotional landmarks.

A year-round calendar of festivities

The Saint Blaise Festival is not an isolated event; it is the second appointment in a deeply felt winter cycle. In January, Saint Anthony the Abbot is celebrated on the 17th or the following Sunday, with the blessing of animals and traditional Sabina sweets. January 20th marks the Awakening of Saint Sebastian, which kicks off the patron saint's festivities. The year then continues with spring and sporting events, culminating in the August Festivals between August 15th and 24th, when Forano comes alive with the famous Pasta Festival.

What to expect

• Eucharistic celebration and blessing of the throat in the parish church
• Community gatherings in the historic center, depending on the year's arrangements
• An opportunity to discover the village off-season, away from the summer crowds
• The chance to taste Sabina PDO Extra Virgin Olive Oil, a signature product of the entire territory

Why it's worth it

Those seeking an authentic Sabina experience will find a faithful portrait in this festival: no tourist staging, just popular devotion lived with natural ease in a village located just over fifty kilometers from Rome and about forty from Rieti. It is the kind of event that captures the essence of Italian village life better than many larger festivals, and it can easily be combined with a walk through the ancient olive groves of the Tiber Valley.