Saint Giulia Patronal Feast and Maccheroni a Fezze Festival in Salisano (Jacculi)

A patronal feast in the heart of Sabina

Every year, around Ferragosto, the small village of Salisano, in the province of Rieti, becomes the stage for the Salisano Summer: a rich calendar of events organized by the local Pro Loco, culminating in the celebrations in honor of Saint Giulia, the village's patron saint. The festival is one of the most cherished events in the Sabina region, drawing back former residents, families from neighboring towns, and visitors from Rome, which is just fifty kilometers away.

Saint Giulia, patron saint of Salisano

Saint Giulia, a Carthaginian virgin and martyr, has been venerated in Salisano for centuries. Local tradition dictates that the patronal celebrations take place on the Sunday following Ferragosto, featuring a solemn mass, a procession through the historic center accompanied by a brass band, and community festivities that mark the end of the Salisano summer season. It is a ritual that unites religious and popular dimensions, as is common in many Sabina villages, where the patronal feast remains the heart of local identity.

The Maccheroni a Fezze Festival, the "jacculi"

The festival's signature dish is an ancient pasta from the Sabina region: maccheroni a fezze, which in Salisano (as in Montopoli and Bocchignano) are known by the dialect name jacculi, named after the ropes once tied to donkey saddles. This water-and-flour pasta is hand-pulled with oil, worked into long strands, and coiled into skeins using the elbow—a technique passed down by local cooks for generations. During the festival, jacculi are served in two versions: "in bianco," simply dressed with DOP Sabina extra virgin olive oil and local cheese, or with hearty wild boar, mutton, or tomato sauces. It is a humble yet identity-defining dish that tells the story of the farming culture of these olive-covered hills.

The Salisano Summer program

The food festival is the most anticipated moment of a multi-day program. Recent editions have featured:

• the gastronomic festival with stalls serving typical Sabina dishes and hand-made jacculi;
• dance nights and concerts in the square with local orchestras and bands;
• the traditional brass band concert;
• the cultural competitions "Salisano in Poetry" and "Salisano in Painting," with public award ceremonies in Piazza Vittorio Emanuele III;
• children's entertainment, sports, and card tournaments;
• the procession of Saint Giulia with a solemn mass to close the festivities.

Salisano and the Sabina region

Perched on a hill overlooking the Farfa Valley, Salisano is a medieval village of a few hundred inhabitants, surrounded by olive groves that produce some of Italy's finest oils. The Municipality of Salisano, with the support of the Lazio Region, works alongside the Pro Loco to organize summer cultural events, making the patronal feast an opportunity to discover the historic center, churches, and landscapes of the Province of Rieti. Visitors coming for the festival can easily combine their trip with visits to other Sabina gems, from the Abbey of Farfa to the villages of Poggio Mirteto and Casperia.