Saint Thomas Aquinas Festival

Aquino celebrates its most illustrious son

Every year at the beginning of March, the town of Aquino, in southern Lazio, gathers to honor the memory of its patron saint and most famous citizen: Saint Thomas Aquinas (c. 1225 – 1274), the great Dominican theologian and philosopher venerated by the Church as Doctor Angelicus. The Saint Thomas Aquinas Festival takes place on March 6th and 7th, the anniversary of the Saint's death on March 7, 1274, at the Abbey of Fossanova. It represents the most important moment of the year for the Aquino community and the entire Diocese of Sora-Cassino-Aquino-Pontecorvo.

The evocative tradition of the faoni

The heart of the festival is the ancient and deeply felt custom of the "faoni", the large bonfires that illuminate the town on the eve of the solemnity. On the evening of March 6th, following the vigil Mass celebrated in the Co-Cathedral, the faoni are lit in the picturesque Piazzetta dei Conti d'Aquino, amidst colors, lights, and sounds that envelop the village. It is a moment of intense popular devotion, where the flame becomes a symbol of the light of faith and knowledge that Saint Thomas bequeathed to his hometown.

The solemn Pontifical Mass on March 7th

On March 7th, the day of the solemnity, Aquino experiences the culmination of the celebrations. Morning Masses are followed in the late afternoon by the solemn Pontifical Mass in the Co-Cathedral Basilica of Saints Constantius and Thomas, presided over in recent years by Cardinal Beniamino Stella and concelebrated by Dominican friars and diocesan priests. The liturgy is accompanied by a floral tribute to the statue of the patron saint and moments of reflection involving the faithful, civil authorities, and pilgrims from neighboring towns in the Ciociaria region.

Saint Thomas, patron of Aquino and the diocese

Proclaimed patron of the city and the diocese, Saint Thomas Aquinas is one of the central figures of Western Christian thought. His work, the Summa Theologiae, marked the history of philosophy and theology, demonstrating the harmony possible between faith and reason. The Aquino celebrations are part of the years of Thomistic anniversaries—from the 750th anniversary of his death (2024) to the 800th anniversary of his birth (2025)—which have made the annual event even more significant.

A hallmark event of the Ciociaria

More than just a liturgical feast, the Saint Thomas festival is the defining event for Aquino and the entire territory. The municipality, located in the province of Frosinone, in Lazio, preserves the roots of the Saint and renews his memory every year, combining religious dimensions, folk tradition, and a sense of community. The preparatory novena, the faoni, and the Pontifical Mass mark days in which the entire city recognizes itself in its own history.