Saint Savino Festival

The patronal feast of Gualdo

The Festival of Saint Savino is the main event in the calendar of Gualdo, a small hilltop village in the province of Macerata, in the Marche region. Situated at about 650 meters above sea level between the Tennacola and Salino valleys, with views towards the Sibillini Mountains and, on clear days, as far as Monte Conero, Gualdo celebrates its patron saint with a festival that has united the religious and popular dimensions for generations.

When it takes place

Although Saint Savino is liturgically venerated on July 11th, the patronal feast in Gualdo follows a movable date: it is traditionally held on the first Saturday and Sunday after Ferragosto. For this reason, the dates change from year to year, but the festival always falls in the second half of August, when the village becomes populated again by those who have emigrated and return for the occasion.

Saint Savino, patron of the village

The bond between Gualdo and Saint Savino is preserved in the Church of Saint Savino, a building whose origins date back to the late 13th century and which was rebuilt in the 18th century in neoclassical style, with a Greek cross plan and a low dome, designed by the Swiss architect Pietro Maggi. Inside, valuable works are preserved, including a panel painting of the Madonna and Child with Saints John the Baptist and Savino, and a depiction of the Last Supper. The church is the spiritual heart of the festival, from which the procession begins.

Atmosphere and tradition

The Festival of Saint Savino retains the genuine character of the patronal feasts of small villages in the Marche region: the procession with the statue of the saint through the streets of the historic center, liturgical celebrations, but also moments of convivial gathering organized by the Parish Committee of Saint Savino with the collaboration of the community. Food stalls, music, and evening entertainment accompany the two days, transforming the village into a meeting point for the entire valley.

A village to discover

The festival is also an opportunity to visit Gualdo, which retains parts of its medieval walls from the 10th-14th centuries and a highly evocative panoramic position in the heart of the Macerata region. Those who visit the village during these days will find a simple and authentic welcome, typical of the inland communities of the Marche.