Saint Gerard Majella Festival (Solemnity of Materdomini)
The great Irpinia pilgrimage to the Materdomini Sanctuary, between the 'first festival' of September and the Solemnity of October 16th
About Saint Gerard Majella Festival
The great festival of devout Irpinia
The Saint Gerard Majella Festival is celebrated in Materdomini, a hamlet of the municipality of Caposele, in the province of Avellino, in the heart of Alta Irpinia, Campania. Around the tomb of the saint, who died here on October 16, 1755, one of the most visited sanctuaries in Southern Italy has grown: the basilica, run by the Redemptorist Fathers, welcomes a continuous flow of pilgrims every year, many of whom still arrive on foot from neighboring towns in Campania, Basilicata, and Puglia. It is a popular devotion of interregional scale, which for a few days transforms a village of a few hundred inhabitants into a small city.
Two events, one single devotion
The festival does not end in a single day. Tradition distinguishes the so-called 'first festival', which falls on the first Sunday of September, from the liturgical Solemnity of October 16th, the anniversary of Saint Gerard's death. These are two different, deeply felt moments that mark the Gerardian autumn.
- First Sunday of September — the 'first festival': Eucharistic celebrations from the early hours of the morning, a fair along the village streets, and in the afternoon, the very long procession with the statue of the saint.
- From October 7th to 15th — the novena, nine days of spiritual preparation with preaching, confessions, and pilgrimages organized by various devout municipalities.
- October 15th — the commemoration of the Transit of Saint Gerard and the solemn offering of oil, followed by a night vigil at the saint's tomb.
- October 16th — the Solemnity: Holy Masses following one another from dawn to dusk, a solemn concelebration presided over by the Archbishop, the blessing of the grain, a procession, and final fireworks.
The procession and popular rites
The most anticipated moment remains the procession. The statue of Saint Gerard travels through the streets of Materdomini accompanied by banners depicting portraits and key scenes from the saint's life, by confraternities, and by popular hymns and prayers recited aloud. It is a very slow pageant that can last for hours, as every group of pilgrims wants to accompany the simulacrum for a stretch. At the end of the day, fireworks illuminate the valley and conclude the festivities.
On the morning of October 16th, the blessing of the grain intended for sowing is also renewed, an agricultural rite that links Gerardian devotion to the farming calendar of Irpinia and shows how deeply rooted this festival is in the daily life of the Campanian hinterland.
2026: The Tercentenary of the birth of Saint Gerard
2026 is a very special year: it marks the 300th anniversary of the birth of Saint Gerard Majella, who was born in Muro Lucano, Basilicata, in 1726. The sanctuary opened the 'Gerardian Year' on April 6, 2026, with a solemn concelebration presided over by Cardinal Marcello Semeraro, and has built an extraordinary calendar around the traditional September and October festivals: exhibitions of the saint's urn, study conferences, gatherings of consecrated life, and prayer appointments on the 16th of every month. The jubilee year will close on April 4, 2027.
Who was Saint Gerard Majella
A lay brother of the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer, Gerard Majella died in Materdomini in 1755, at only twenty-nine years old, and was canonized in 1904. He is venerated throughout the world as the patron saint of mothers and children, which is precisely why the festival attracts so many families: expectant women, parents with young children, ex-votos, and thank-you letters fill the sanctuary's votive museum. It is this affectionate and domestic dimension that defines the character of the festival.
Materdomini and Caposele, between faith and nature
Materdomini stands at an altitude of about 525 meters, a couple of kilometers from the center of Caposele, in a valley overlooking the Picentini Mountains and very close to the springs of the Sele River, from which the historic Apulian Aqueduct begins. The complex includes the ancient basilica, the modern Church of the Redeemer rebuilt after the 1980 earthquake, spaces for prayer, and the museum of ex-votos. Nearby, Alta Irpinia offers woods, trails, and generous mountain cuisine: many visitors combine the pilgrimage with a walk to the springs or a gastronomic stop in the valley's towns. Peak days see a huge influx, so it is advisable to arrive early in the morning and plan for layered clothing: in mid-October, in Alta Irpinia, the evenings are already cold.
Saint Gerard Majella Festival — edition 2026
A Tercentenary edition
In 2026, the Saint Gerard Majella Festival is part of the Gerardian Year, opened on April 6, 2026, with a concelebration presided over by Cardinal Marcello Semeraro for the 300th anniversary of the saint's birth. The Materdomini Sanctuary, in the municipality of Caposele (Avellino), has released a calendar that adds a series of extraordinary events to the two traditional festivals: exhibitions of the urn, conferences, gatherings, and a prayer meeting on the 16th of every month until April 2027.
Confirmed dates
The 'first festival' is set for Sunday, September 6, 2026, with morning masses, the fair, and the afternoon procession. The novena is celebrated from October 7th to 15th; on October 15th, the Transit of Saint Gerard is commemorated with the offering of oil; the liturgical Solemnity is Friday, October 16, 2026, the peak day with Holy Masses from dawn, the blessing of the grain, the grand procession, and final fireworks. On December 13, 2026, a solemn exhibition of the saint's urn is also planned.
What to expect
A higher-than-average influx of pilgrims is expected due to the Tercentenary, with organized groups from all over Campania, Basilicata, and Puglia. Detailed schedules for individual celebrations are published by the sanctuary in the weeks preceding each event.
Programme Saint Gerard Majella Festival 2026
2026 calendar published by the Saint Gerard Majella Sanctuary as part of the Tercentenary Gerardian Year.
Sunday, September 6, 2026 — the 'first festival'
- Holy Masses from the early hours of the morning in the basilica and sanctuary grounds.
- Fair along the streets of Materdomini all day long.
- In the afternoon, the grand procession with the statue of Saint Gerard and banners depicting scenes from the saint's life.
From Wednesday, October 7th to Thursday, October 15th, 2026 — the Novena
- Nine days of spiritual preparation: preaching, confessions, Eucharistic celebrations.
- Each day is traditionally entrusted to pilgrimages from different devout municipalities.
Thursday, October 15, 2026 — Transit and offering of oil
- Commemoration of the Transit of Saint Gerard.
- Solemn offering of oil and night vigil at the saint's tomb.
Friday, October 16, 2026 — Liturgical Solemnity
- Holy Masses from the early morning until evening.
- Solemn Eucharistic concelebration presided over by the Archbishop.
- Blessing of the grain for sowing in the basilica square.
- Grand procession with the statue of the saint through the streets of Materdomini.
- Closing mass and final fireworks.
Extraordinary Tercentenary events
- Prayer and catechesis meeting on the 16th of every month, from April 2026 to April 2027.
- Sunday, December 13, 2026: Solemn exhibition of the urn of Saint Gerard.
- Sunday, April 4, 2027: Closing of the Gerardian Year.
Exact celebration times are published by the sanctuary on sangerardo.it and social channels in the preceding weeks.
Highlights Saint Gerard Majella Festival 2026
- The grand procession on the first Sunday of September, one of the most attended in Irpinia.
- The Solemnity of October 16th with uninterrupted masses from dawn to dusk.
- The blessing of the grain for sowing, an ancient agricultural rite.
- The final fireworks over the Sele Valley.
- Extraordinary celebrations for the 300th anniversary of Saint Gerard's birth (1726-2026).
- The exhibition of the saint's urn scheduled for December 13, 2026.
Prices Saint Gerard Majella Festival 2026
Practical information — Saint Gerard Majella Festival
Where it takes place
Santuario di San Gerardo Maiella, Via Santuario Materdomini 27, 83040 Materdomini — Caposele (AV), Campania. The celebrations take place in the basilica, on the square in front, and along the streets of the hamlet.
How to get there
By car: the most practical way. From Naples, take the A16 towards Bari, continue towards Alta Irpinia, and take the Lioni-Contursi junction, exiting for Caposele/Materdomini. From Salerno and Basilicata, access is via the same junction. By public transport: Materdomini is not directly served by rail; the reference stations remain Avellino and Salerno, from which you can continue by bus. On festival days, numerous parishes and associations organize coaches from all over Campania, Basilicata, and Puglia.
Costs
Participation in all celebrations, the procession, and the fireworks is free and open to all. Only dining and the fair stalls require payment.
Practical tips
- Arrive early in the morning on peak days (first Sunday of September and October 16th).
- Comfortable shoes: the procession is long and the village is on a slope.
- Book your accommodation in advance in Caposele or neighboring towns in Alta Irpinia.
Contacts
Sacristy: +39 0827 58118 — Secretariat: +39 0827 5378 — [email protected] / [email protected] — official website: sangerardo.it. Municipality of Caposele: +39 0827 53024.
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Where does it take place — Saint Gerard Majella Festival
Santuario di San Gerardo Maiella — Materdomini
Via Santuario Materdomini, 27, 83040 Caposele