Saint Donato Festival

Saint Donato and the Weighing Ritual

On August 7th, Cercepiccola, in the province of Campobasso, celebrates Saint Donato with a festival that holds a fascinating rite: the weighing. This is a paraliturgical ceremony where the faithful place a foot on one pan of a scale while the officiant recites a prayer and sprinkles holy water, invoking the saint's intercession. Historically linked to the protection of children and against the "terrible evil" interpreted as epilepsy, the rite replaced ancient grain offerings with monetary offerings.

The Procession and Delegations

The day includes a solemn procession through the characteristic streets of the historic center, accompanied by a prestigious brass band. Civil delegations with banners from neighboring municipalities participate — Cercemaggiore, Sepino, Giuliano del Sannio, and Mirabello Sannitico — testifying to the historical religious importance of this locality. Banknote-laden ribbons are tied to the saint's effigy as devotional offerings for the success of the festival.

Cercepiccola in the Sannio Region of Molise

Cercepiccola is a small village in the Sannio area of the province of Campobasso, near Sepino and the remains of ancient Saepinum. The Saint Donato Festival, with its weighing ritual, represents one of the most vibrant examples of popular religiosity in inland Molise, where faith, tradition, and community identity still merge today.