Saint Marcellinus Patronal Feast
Novena, procession, and the presentation of the city keys to the patron saint of the Alto Casertano region
About Saint Marcellinus Feast
A city celebrating its patron saint
Every year, Piedimonte Matese, a town in the Alto Casertano area of the Province of Caserta (Campania), dedicates nearly two weeks to its patron saint, Saint Marcellinus, a Roman priest and martyr. The festivities begin on May 22nd, commemorating the translation of the relics, and conclude on June 2nd, the anniversary of his martyrdom. On this day, the city truly comes to a standstill, with celebrations in the basilica, marching bands filling the streets, and the grand afternoon procession.
Who was Saint Marcellinus
Marcellinus was a Roman priest martyred in Rome in 304 AD during the Diocletian persecution, alongside the exorcist Peter. The devotion of Piedimonte to these two martyrs is ancient and unbroken, evidenced by an inscription left in the Roman catacombs by a soldier from Piedimonte, a small votive painting linked to the miracle of the Torano spring, and a 1923 holy card granting fifty days of indulgence to those who recited the prayer. The silver bust housing the relics is the visible heart of this faith.
The novena: a time for preparation
The journey toward June 2nd is marked by the novena: every evening, a mass is held in the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore—the city's mother church and a minor basilica since 1945—animated by different priests, with sermons centered on the lives of the martyrs. In 2026, the parish entrusted the evening celebrations to the Franciscan Provincials of Salerno, Benevento, Lecce, and Naples, in honor of the eighth centenary of Saint Francis's death: a sign of the deep bond between the Piedimonte community and the Franciscan family present in the city.
June 2nd: the patron saint's day
The day begins very early. The first mass is at 6:30 AM, followed by others at 8:00 AM and 9:00 AM. At 8:00 AM, fireworks wake the town, and shortly after, the local band parades through the city center. At 9:30 AM, civil, military, and religious authorities meet at the Town Hall and march to the basilica for the solemn concelebration at 10:30 AM, presided over by the Bishop of the Diocese of Alife-Caiazzo. In the afternoon, solemn Vespers and the procession with the relics take place, followed in the evening by the final mass and a concert in the square.
The keys of the city to the Saint
The most moving moment occurs during the procession: in Piazza Roma, before the crowd, the Mayor symbolically hands the keys of the city to Saint Marcellinus. It is an ancient ritual that entrusts the community's destiny to the patron saint, still successfully uniting religious devotion and civic identity, with the historic center streets decorated by residents and flower carpets (infiorate) prepared along the route.
Bands, music, and fireworks
The secular side of the festival is primarily entrusted to brass band music, a very strong tradition throughout Southern Italy. In Piazza Roma, operatic and symphonic programs are performed by bands invited from Puglia and Campania, while the evening concert concludes the day under the festive lights. Fireworks mark the dawn and the key moments of June 2nd, following a script that has been repeated in Piedimonte for generations.
Piedimonte Matese and its surroundings
Nestled at the foot of the Matese massif, Piedimonte is one of the gateways to the Matese Regional Park and preserves a historic center of great interest, with churches, noble palaces, and the Vallata district. Visitors arriving for the festival will find an excellent base for mountain excursions, trips to Lake Matese, and tasting the typical products of the Alto Casertano, from mozzarella and mountain cheeses to cured meats and festive pastries.
Why it's worth attending
- An authentic patronal feast, not overly touristy and deeply felt by the local community
- The procession with the silver bust of Saint Marcellinus and the presentation of the city keys
- High-level brass band concerts with operatic and symphonic repertoires
- Fireworks at dawn and in the evening
- The decorated historic center and the flower carpets created by the inhabitants
Saint Marcellinus Feast — edition 2026
An edition in honor of Saint Francis
The 2026 festivities in honor of Saint Marcellinus began on May 22nd at 7:00 PM with a Eucharistic concelebration presided over by Msgr. Doriano Vincenzo De Luca, director of the weekly newspaper Nuova Stagione of the Archdiocese of Naples, who introduced the community to the festival period with the theme «the proclamation and testimony of the Gospel are born from the gift of baptism».
From that evening, the novena began, with one evening mass per day and a different priest for each celebration. Due to the historical bond between the parish of Santa Maria Maggiore and the Franciscan family present in Piedimonte, and on the occasion of the eighth centenary of Saint Francis's death, the parish priest Father Massimiliano Giannico invited the Franciscan Provincials of the provinces of Salerno, Benevento, Lecce, and Naples to preside over the novena masses.
The climax was on June 2nd, with the solemn concelebration at 10:30 AM presided over by Bishop Giacomo Cirulli and animated by the Cantate Domino choir, the afternoon procession with the Saint's silver bust, and the traditional ritual of handing the city keys in Piazza Roma.
Programme Saint Marcellinus Feast 2026
Friday, May 22, 2026 - Opening
- 7:00 PM - Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore: Eucharistic concelebration presided over by Msgr. Doriano Vincenzo De Luca, in memory of the translation of the relics
May 23 to June 1 - Novena
- Daily evening mass in the basilica, with preaching on the lives of the martyrs
- Celebrations presided over by the Franciscan Provincials of Salerno, Benevento, Lecce, and Naples, for the eighth centenary of Saint Francis's death
Tuesday, June 2, 2026 - Solemnity of Saints Marcellinus and Peter
- 6:30 AM - 8:00 AM - 9:00 AM - Holy masses in the basilica
- 8:00 AM - Fireworks display by the Pirostar company of Vittorio De Angelis
- 9:00 AM - Parade through the city streets by the Città di Piedimonte brass band
- 9:30 AM - Meeting of civil, military, and religious authorities at the Town Hall and procession to the basilica
- 10:30 AM - Solemn Eucharistic concelebration presided over by Bishop Giacomo Cirulli, animated by the Cantate Domino choir
- 11:30 AM - Piazza Roma: operatic-symphonic concert by the Paolo Falcicchio band of Gioia del Colle, conducted by Maestro Susanna Pescetti
- 12:00 PM - Last holy mass of the morning
- 5:00 PM - Solemn Vespers of the holy martyrs in the basilica
- 5:30 PM - Procession with the silver bust containing the relics of Saint Marcellinus; in Piazza Roma, presentation of the city keys to the patron saint by the Mayor
- 8:00 PM - Return of the procession to the basilica and final Eucharistic concelebration
- 9:00 PM - Piazza Roma: grand evening brass band concert conducted by Maestro Susanna Pescetti
Highlights Saint Marcellinus Feast 2026
- Opening on May 22nd with Msgr. Doriano Vincenzo De Luca and the theme «Piedimonte, do you love me? Because the future is born from love»
- Novena entrusted to the Franciscan Provincials for the 800th anniversary of Saint Francis's death
- Solemn concelebration on June 2nd with Bishop Giacomo Cirulli and the Cantate Domino choir
- 5:30 PM procession with the silver bust and presentation of the city keys in Piazza Roma
- Operatic-symphonic concerts by the Paolo Falcicchio band of Gioia del Colle conducted by Susanna Pescetti
- Fireworks at dawn on June 2nd
Prices Saint Marcellinus Feast 2026
Practical information — Saint Marcellinus Feast
Where it takes place
Religious celebrations are held in the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore (Via San Marcellino 1, 81016 Piedimonte Matese, CE). The procession crosses the historic center with a stop in Piazza Roma, where the brass band concerts also take place.
How to get there
By car: from the A1 motorway, take the Caianello exit, then the SS372 Telesina road to Piedimonte Matese; from Naples and Caserta, you can take the SS87 and the Variante Sannitica. By train and bus: the reference railway station is Piedimonte Matese-Alife (Alifana line), connected by regional bus lines to Alife, Caserta, and Naples.
Costs
All festival events, including celebrations, the procession, brass band concerts in Piazza Roma, and fireworks, are free of charge.
Practical tips
On June 2nd, the historic center is closed to traffic and very crowded: it is advisable to leave your car in the peripheral parking lots and reach Piazza Roma on foot. For the 5:30 PM procession, it is best to arrive a little early. Appropriate attire is required inside the basilica.
Where to stay
Piedimonte Matese and the nearby towns of Alife, San Potito Sannitico, and Castello del Matese offer farmhouses, B&Bs, and small hotels; advance booking is recommended during the festival days.
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Where does it take place — Saint Marcellinus Feast
Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore
Via San Marcellino 1, 81016 Piedimonte Matese