Saints Peter and Paul Festival

The patronal feast of Montebello di Bertona

The Saints Peter and Paul Festival is the most anticipated event of the year in Montebello di Bertona, a small village of just over a thousand inhabitants perched at an altitude of 615 meters in the Province of Pescara, within the Gran Sasso and Monti della Laga National Park. Celebrated around June 29th, the day the liturgical calendar dedicates to the two apostles, the festival unites the sacred dimension of popular devotion with civic and social festivities, involving the entire Montebello community.

Faith and tradition beneath the Gran Sasso

The heart of the festival is the parish church of San Pietro, around which the liturgical celebrations revolve: the solemn mass in honor of the patron saints and the procession that winds through the streets of the historic center, accompanied by the faithful and local music. Devotion to Saints Peter and Paul is deeply rooted in the village's history, documented as early as the 11th century as poio de Montebello and rich in a religious heritage that includes ancient churches and sacred sites scattered throughout the territory.

The twinning with Raiano

A distinctive feature of the Montebello festival is its bond with the community of Raiano, a municipality in the province of L'Aquila with which Montebello di Bertona has been long-term twinned. Each year, a delegation from Raiano participates in the patronal festivities, in a relationship of reciprocity that unites the two Abruzzo communities in a day of meeting, sharing, and friendship. Municipal administrations, festival committees, and citizens renew a pact of brotherhood that extends far beyond the celebration itself.

A village to discover

Those visiting Montebello di Bertona for the patronal festival will find not only a religious and popular event but also the chance to discover an authentic corner of inland Abruzzo: traditional local flavors, from handmade pasta to the famous Montebello bocconotti, and the views of the Gran Sasso that frame the village. The Saints Peter and Paul Festival remains, from generation to generation, the moment when the town reconnects with its roots.