Saint Blaise Patronal Feast

A festival that brings the town to a standstill

February 3rd in Palombara Sabina, a town in the Metropolitan City of Rome Capital in the Lazio region, is no ordinary day. It is the Saint Blaise Patronal Feast, dedicated to the bishop of Sebaste and martyr, protector of the town and—in popular devotion—protector of the throat. The anniversary has always held civil significance as well: public offices, schools, and many shops close, and the entire community gathers at the Parish Church dedicated to the saint, located in the historic center perched at the foot of the Lucretili Mountains.

The 'Mazzette' and the Festaroli

The heart of the festival's identity is the tradition of the 'Mazzette': four small statuettes of the saint that identify the 'Festaroli', the devotees tasked with organizing the celebrations. Each year, the Festaroli are chosen by lottery and are entrusted with a statuette, which they will keep in their homes for the following twelve months. Throughout the year, the devotees gather periodically at the Festaroli's homes for traditional prayers: a form of domestic and collective religiosity that survives in only a few communities in the Sabina region.

The handover of the Mazzette takes place solemnly on the day of the festival, during a procession accompanied by the Town Band and—according to local custom—by firecrackers near the homes of the Festaroli. It is the moment when the responsibility for the festival symbolically passes from one family to another, ensuring its continuity.

The blessing of the throat

At the end of each Mass, the faithful line up to receive the blessing of the throat, the most characteristic rite of devotion to Saint Blaise: the priest places two crossed candles—or the saint's blessed oil—against each person's throat, reciting the traditional formula: 'Through the intercession of Saint Blaise, bishop and martyr, may the Lord deliver you from the ailment of the throat and from every other evil.' In Palombara, this gesture, also known as the anointing of the throat, is experienced with a level of participation that goes far beyond the liturgical appointment and involves those who return to town specifically for the occasion.

Faith and community identity

The Saint Blaise festival joins that of Saint Anthony the Abbot in the Palombara winter calendar and shares the same ritual structure: lottery, statuettes entrusted to families, processions, band, and firecrackers. These are customs born in a farming society, where devotion to the saint was intertwined with the rhythm of the agricultural year and the town's civic identity. Today, although transformed, they remain a living intangible heritage and a precious opportunity to understand how a patronal feast is truly celebrated in the Lazio hinterland, far from tourist circuits.

Palombara Sabina and the Lucretili Mountains

The town is located about 40 kilometers from Rome, within the Lucretili Mountains Regional Natural Park, dominated by the Savelli Castle which defines its skyline. Those arriving for the festival will find a medieval village of narrow alleys and glimpses of the Sabina countryside, with the Church of Sant'Egidio and the Parish Church of Saint Blaise serving as the focal points of the day. The time of year—mid-winter—offers a cozy atmosphere, very different from summer food festivals: it is an authentic village feast, made of bells, a brass band, and queues in front of the altar.

Why it is worth attending

• Fixed date: February 3rd every year, regardless of the day of the week.
• Unique rituals: The lottery and handover of the Mazzette to the new Festaroli, hard to find elsewhere.
• Double procession between Sant'Egidio and Saint Blaise with the Town Band.
• Blessing of the throat after both the morning and evening Masses.
• Free access: All events are free and open to everyone.