Saint Sebastian Festival (Patronal Feast)

The patronal feast of Pieve Tesino

The Saint Sebastian Festival is the patronal celebration of Pieve Tesino, a village on the Tesino plateau in the province of Trento, nestled in the heart of the Valsugana valley at the foot of the Lagorai mountain range. Every year, around January 18th, the day dedicated to the saint, the community gathers around its protector in one of the most heartfelt religious celebrations of the local calendar.

The Church and the Hill of Saint Sebastian

The heart of the celebration is the Church of Saint Sebastian, built starting in 1479 on the hill rising to the east of the village. The construction was born as a votive offering of gratitude: the inhabitants of Pieve and Cinte Tesino commissioned it to celebrate their survival from the plague that spared the Tesino plateau in the 15th century. The building, dedicated to saints Fabian and Sebastian, venerated as protectors against the disease, preserves a beautiful Romanesque bell tower crowned by an onion dome. The hill is surrounded by thirteen small chapels that make up the Stations of the Cross, a destination for walks and devotion throughout the year.

The day's program

The festival maintains its traditional, simple, and deeply rooted structure:

• Solemn High Mass in honor of Saint Sebastian, celebrated in the morning (at 10:30 AM in 2026);
• Procession accompanied by the local brass band, parading through the village streets;
• Communal lunch at the Polifunzionale hall in Pieve Tesino (starting at 12:30 PM in 2026), a convivial moment that strengthens community bonds.

In some editions, the eve is enriched by concerts from local choirs, reflecting the deeply rooted musical tradition of the Valsugana valley.

One of Italy's most beautiful villages

Pieve Tesino, recognized as one of the Most Beautiful Villages in Italy, is famous as the home of the travelers and print sellers who once departed from the Tesino area to travel all over Europe. The Saint Sebastian Festival is the perfect opportunity to rediscover the authentic soul of this village and its history of faith and community in the winter silence of the Trentino mountains.