Saint Sebastian Festival

The feast of Gallipoli's co-patron saint

Every year in mid-January, Gallipoli—the "beautiful city" overlooking the Ionian Sea in the Province of Lecce—rallies around Saint Sebastian, venerated for centuries as a co-patron alongside Saint Agatha. The Saint Sebastian Festival is one of the oldest and most well-attended devotional events in Salento: two days, January 19th and 20th, where popular faith, historical memory, and the city's maritime traditions intertwine along the alleys of the old town.

The procession in the ancient city

The heart of the festival is the solemn procession that winds through the streets of Gallipoli's historic center. All the local confraternities march in the parade, their members wearing traditional robes and advancing according to the seniority of their respective royal charters. Beside the silver bust of Saint Sebastian, the statue of Saint Agatha is also carried in a symbolic embrace between the city's two protectors.

The celebrations center on the Basilica Concattedrale di Sant'Agata, a splendid example of Lecce Baroque in the ancient center, which serves as the starting and ending point for the devotional parade. A deeply felt tradition dictates that on the day of the feast, officers of the Local Police carry the silver statue of the Saint on their shoulders along the aisles as a sign of homage.

The focareddha, between sacred and profane

In the days leading up to and accompanying the festivities, Gallipoli lights up with the focareddha, the traditional fire festival linked to the cult of Saint Anthony Abbot (January 17th). Large bonfires made of wood, olive branches, and vine clippings gathered from the fields are lit in the city's districts and squares: a ritual with ancient roots and pagan echoes of purification, which blends the religious dimension with a festive, popular spirit, often accompanied by traditional Salento music and songs.

A heritage of identity

For Gallipoli, the Saint Sebastian Festival represents a true pillar of identity, capable of drawing residents, returning emigrants, and visitors into the historic center. Organized under the aegis of the Diocese of Nardò-Gallipoli, the event offers a chance to discover the winter face of the old town—the most authentic one—far from the summer beach season, when popular devotion and the intimate atmosphere of the alleys reveal the deepest soul of this corner of Puglia.