Saint Sebastian Patronal Feast

A celebration that begins before dawn

In Forano, a small town in the Sabina region of the Rieti province, in Lazio, January 20th is no ordinary date. It is the feast day of Saint Sebastian, the town's patron saint, and the festivities do not wait for the sun: at six in the morning, the marching band takes to the streets to wake the inhabitants with a lively march. This is the famous Sveglia, the ritual that kicks off the celebrations and which every local recognizes as the true start of the patronal day.

Why a military march?

The choice of a march is no coincidence. Saint Sebastian, a 3rd-century martyr, was an officer in the Roman Imperial Guard before being condemned for his faith; the band opening the day with a military beat is a direct tribute to the saint's biography. It is one of those details that explains, better than any plaque, how Italian patronal feasts preserve a precise historical memory beneath the surface of a village celebration.

A breakfast for the whole town

Once the band finishes its rounds, tradition dictates that everyone gathers for breakfast: a collective, simple, and warm moment that, in the January chill, is worth as much as a procession. This is where the feast reveals its deepest purpose: to mend and strengthen the community at the start of a new year.

The religious aspect

The day continues with liturgical celebrations in honor of the patron saint and a procession through the historic center, accompanied by the band. In Forano, the cult of the saint has a precise architectural landmark: the Church of Saint Sebastian, a 15th-century building, which stands as one of the town's historic places of worship alongside the 17th-century Church of the Most Holy Trinity, the parish seat. Saint Sebastian is also the patron saint of the Local Police, and in Forano, the occasion is also used to celebrate the local officers.

The village that hosts the feast

Forano is a village of just over three thousand inhabitants, nestled 218 meters above sea level among the olive groves of the Lower Sabina. Its origins date back to Roman times, when the area was occupied by the Forum Jani, and by 1262 the town was already a free commune; the medieval castle and the Palazzo Savelli-Strozzi tell the story of the centuries during which the fiefdom passed from the Savelli family, who held it until 1599, to the Strozzi family. Walking through the historic center on the patronal feast day means experiencing this historical layering accompanied by the brass of the band.

Flavors of Sabina

The winter feast is also an opportunity to explore local cuisine. The area is home to Sabina PDO extra virgin olive oil, one of the oldest in Italy, and preserves traditional recipes like acquacotta and nociata, a honey and walnut sweet linked to the Christmas period and therefore still found on tables in January. Those visiting Forano in the summer will instead find the community gathered around the historic Pasta Festival (Sagra della Pastasciutta) held in mid-August, the other major event on the local calendar.

Tips for visitors

To witness the 'Sveglia', you must be in town very early: it is the most characteristic part and it doesn't last long. January in Sabina is cold and often damp, so heavy clothing and comfortable shoes for the steep streets of the historic center are essential. The event is free to attend and takes place entirely in the town's public spaces.