Saint Stephen Patronal Feast (Saint Stephen Fair)

The patronal feast in the heart of Bassa Sabina

The Saint Stephen Patronal Feast, also known in Selci as the Saint Stephen Fair, is the most defining event of the year for this small village in the Bassa Sabina, in the province of Rieti. The anniversary falls every year on August 3rd, the day the town solemnly honors Saint Stephen the Protomartyr, the first martyr of Christianity and the community's main patron. Organized by the Municipality of Selci with the support of the Selci Proloco, the local cultural and volunteer association, the festival brings together residents, emigrants returning for the summer, and visitors from neighboring towns in the Sabina area.

The procession from SS. Salvatore to the rural chapel

The religious heart of the day is the procession: on the day dedicated to the saint, the faithful march from the parish church of SS. Salvatore, which overlooks the historic center enclosed by ancient walls, towards the rural chapel of Saint Stephen, a place of worship nestled in the Sabina countryside. It is a journey steeped in popular devotion, linking the medieval core of the town to its agricultural territory, among olive groves and hills. Upon returning, the festival concludes under the glimmer of a fireworks display, a long-awaited moment for both young and old that illuminates the summer night in the Tiber Valley.

A day of fair and conviviality

Alongside the religious dimension, the event retains the character of a village fair: throughout the day, from early morning until late at night, the town comes alive around Piazza del Popolo and the streets of the center. The festival is free to enter and represents an opportunity for the entire community to meet, according to the calendar of celebrations published by the Municipality. It is the moment when Selci shows its most authentic face, made of popular traditions passed down from generation to generation.

Selci, a medieval village in the Sabina

Visiting the festival is also an opportunity to discover Selci, a historic village in the Lazio region whose ancient center is enclosed by the remains of its defensive walls and dominated by the medieval tower known as Rocca Castri. In addition to the parish church of SS. Salvatore, the municipal territory houses the church of Saint Eleuterio and, indeed, the small chapel of Saint Stephen. The town is known for the production of Sabina PDO extra virgin olive oil, one of the gastronomic excellences of this corner of the Province of Rieti, a short distance from Poggio Mirteto and the Tiber Valley.

A continuing tradition

Like many patronal feasts in Lazio, the Saint Stephen anniversary in Selci is repeated on a fixed date every August 3rd: a continuity that makes it one of the most deeply rooted collective rituals in the Bassa Sabina. Those in the area in early August can thus combine the discovery of an authentic village with a genuine popular festival, far from the most beaten tourist paths of the region.