Saint Pancras Festival

The patronal feast of the village of the Pelassiers

The Saint Pancras Festival is the most cherished event of the year for the small community of Elva, a village perched at over 1,600 meters in the Upper Maira Valley, in the province of Cuneo, in the heart of Piedmont. Saint Pancras is the town's patron saint, and his feast, which falls in mid-May, marks the return of the warm season and the awakening of community life after the long winter months typical of these mountain villages.

A community coming together

Elva is a special place, known for being the village of the Pelassiers—the hair collectors who once traveled across Europe to sell their wares—and for housing one of the most precious artistic treasures of the Western Alps. The Saint Pancras Festival is the occasion when those who have emigrated return to their hometown, and the village fills once again with voices, music, and conviviality. The day combines the religious dimension, with the celebration of Holy Mass, with the social one, featuring a communal lunch organized by the Pro Loco and traditional Occitan folk songs that accompany participants throughout the afternoon.

The Parish Church of Santa Maria Assunta

The heart of the festival is the Parish Church of Santa Maria Assunta, a jewel of late-medieval Piedmontese art. The Romanesque church houses an extraordinary cycle of frescoes in its presbytery attributed to Hans Clemer, a Flemish painter active in the Marquisate of Saluzzo between the 15th and 16th centuries, nicknamed the Master of Elva. The magnificent Crucifixion that occupies the back wall is considered one of the artist's masterpieces. Attending the patronal feast also means being able to admire this masterpiece in its original context.

Alpine tradition and hospitality

The Saint Pancras Festival is part of the rich summer calendar of Elva curated by the Pro Loco La Deseno, which in the following months proposes other events among the village hamlets, from the Chanto Elvo celebrations to days of games and markets. For those visiting the Maira Valley, this festival is an authentic opportunity to discover the traditions of a vibrant alpine community, the hospitality of the mountain people, and one of the most evocative villages in the province of Cuneo.