Saint Mark the Evangelist Festival

A festival blending faith and land in Capena

In the heart of the Roman countryside, the small town of Capena, in the province of Rome, celebrates the Festival of Saint Mark the Evangelist every April 25th. It is one of the most anticipated days of the year, where the entire community gathers around a tradition that weaves together religious devotion, rural memory, and ancient propitiatory rites.

First Communion and the procession

April 25th is traditionally the day when the village children receive their First Communion. Following the Eucharistic celebration at the Parish Church, a procession forms to accompany the statue of Saint Mark, along with the young communicants dressed in their finery, through the streets of the historic center to the small church dedicated to the Saint, located just outside the village, nestled in the fields. On the chapel's parvis, the priest performs the blessing of the fields and the traditional sweets prepared for the occasion, a gesture symbolically marking the wish for a good harvest.

Lepericchio and Sposatella: the festival sweets

The delicious and symbolic heart of the event lies in two typical Capena sweets, prepared only for this occasion:

• The lepericchio, traditionally reserved for men: shaped like a round basket with a handle, it features an egg in the center topped with the inscription "S.M.E." (Saint Mark the Evangelist). The enclosed egg evokes Mother Earth and fertility, as a wish for the fruits of the fields.
• The sposatella, intended for women: modeled in the shape of a young girl with her hands on her hips, braided hair, and a dress decorated with colorful sugar-coated almonds, embodying the earth in female form.

Kneaded with flour, sugar, extra virgin olive oil, and wine, and baked with care to withstand the long procession, these sweets are not just a culinary specialty but a true hallmark of the Capena community's identity.

Ancient origins of the rite

The tradition has roots in ancient propitiatory customs: in the past, inhabitants would parade dressed in white in an auspicious procession, carrying blessed bread. Part of it was consumed, while the rest was placed in the fields as a good-luck ritual for the following year's harvest. Over time, this custom merged with the Christian feast of Saint Mark and the celebration of First Communion, giving life to the tradition that still enlivens the village today.

Capena and its territory

Situated on the first hills of the Tiber Valley, north of Rome, Capena preserves a compact historic center and a strong bond with the traditions of the Roman countryside. The Festival of Saint Mark the Evangelist is the ideal opportunity to discover the village, its hospitality, and a heritage of folk customs that the Municipality and the Pro Loco guard with pride.