Saint Felix the Martyr Festival

The patronal feast in the heart of Circeo

The Saint Felix the Martyr Festival is the most anticipated event of the year for the community of San Felice Circeo, a village overlooking the Tyrrhenian Sea at the foot of the Circeo promontory, in the province of Latina. Every summer, around July 29th—the day the patron saint is venerated—the medieval historic center comes alive with three days of religious celebrations and secular festivities that attract residents, vacationers, and curious visitors from across the Pontine coast.

A patron saint venerated for centuries

The bond between the town and its saint is ancient: as early as 1632, the heads of the village families proclaimed Saint Felix their «advocate, defender, and protector» in the presence of the Duke of Sermoneta. The relics now kept in the parish church of the historic center were donated to the community in the 18th century, blessed by Pope Pius VI, and since then, the saint's urn has been the focal point of local devotion. It is no coincidence that the town's very name—Castrum Sancti Felicis in medieval documents—is tied to the cult of the saint.

The ritual: the urn, the mass, and the solemn procession

The most intense religious moment occurs on July 29th. In the morning, the marching band parades through the village streets, followed by the solemn high mass celebrated in the church of Saint Felix the Martyr with choral accompaniment. At noon, the solemn procession begins: the saint's urn, carried on shoulders with the participation of the confraternity, winds through the alleys and small squares of the historic center, accompanied by the band and the praying population. In the days leading up to this, the urn is displayed for the veneration of the faithful.

The secular festival: traditional games, music, and fireworks over the sea

Alongside the religious rites, there is a genuine popular festival. In Piazza Vittorio Veneto, traditional folk games return—tug-of-war, prize competitions, and classic pastimes—designed to bring adults and children together in the town square. The evenings are enlivened by musical performances and live concerts, often featuring the Orchestra Sanfeliciana and other local groups. The grand finale is one of the most awaited moments of the Pontine summer: at the stroke of midnight on July 29th, the fireworks display launched from the public beach of Fratta lights up the sky over the seafront, with the light shows reflecting off the sea.

Part of the «Circeo d'Amare» program

The patronal feast is part of the «Circeo d'Amare» summer program, a series of events promoted by the municipal administration together with the Pro Loco of San Felice Circeo and local associations, which fills the historic center, the port area, and other parts of the town with events from July to September. The festivities themselves are organized by the Saint Felix the Martyr Festival Committee.

Why attend

Participating in the festival is the most authentic way to discover the soul of San Felice Circeo, a pearl of the Lazio Region nestled between the Circeo National Park and the beaches of the Ulysses Riviera. The combination of popular devotion, a festively illuminated medieval village, music in the square, and fireworks over the sea offers an experience that blends tradition and vacation like few other patronal feasts on the Lazio coast.