Saint Donatus Patronal Feast

Biccari's most important celebration

The Saint Donatus Patronal Feast is the most anticipated event of the year for the community of Biccari, a small village in the Daunian Subappennines perched at an altitude of 450 meters, in the Province of Foggia, in the heart of the Monti Dauni in Apulia. For a few days in early August, the squares and streets of the historic center fill with worshippers, music, and visitors, in a blend of religious rites and civic festivities that involves the entire town.

Saint Donatus and the silver arm relic

The patron saint of Biccari is Saint Donatus, bishop and martyr of Arezzo. Local devotion dates back to an episode in 1527: according to tradition, a local citizen who had taken part in the Sack of Rome entered the catacombs, took possession of the Saint's arm, and brought it back to the village. Since then, the precious relic—the famous silver arm—has been kept in the mother church of Maria Santissima Assunta, where the altar dedicated to Saint Donatus is also located.

The procession and religious rites

The spiritual heart of the feast is the solemn procession on August 7th, the liturgical feast day, when the statue of the Saint and the silver reliquary are carried through the village streets accompanied by the prayers of the faithful and liturgical chants, with the participation of the Santa Cecilia choir. Religious celebrations begin with the novena at the end of July and culminate in solemn holy masses. Every five years, the procession takes on a special character, with the display of all the statues of local saints venerated in Biccari.

Music, illuminations, and shows

Alongside the rites, the festival reveals its more popular and joyful side: evening brass band concerts, nationally renowned musical guests performing in the town squares, artistic illuminations, firework displays, food stalls serving typical Daunian dishes, craft markets, and activities for children. There is also the traditional fair that winds along Via Giardino, a staple of the three-day event.

When it takes place

The Saint Donatus Feast is traditionally celebrated around August 7th. The dates and program for the 2026 edition have not yet been announced by the Saint Donatus Festival Committee: this page will be updated as soon as the official schedule is published.