San Biagio Feast

The San Biagio Feast in Aversa

In the heart of the historic center of Aversa, in the province of Caserta, the local community gathers every February 3rd around the figure of Saint Blaise, the Bishop and martyr of Sebaste, venerated as the protector of the throat and respiratory system. Devotion in the city has ancient roots: the cult is documented since the birth of the Norman County, and the Cartario di San Biagio records the presence of the monastery as early as 1043.

The Benedictine Temple of San Biagio

The beating heart of the festival is the Benedictine Temple of San Biagio, guarded for centuries by Benedictine nuns who, despite 19th-century confiscations, never abandoned the monastery. After five years of closure, the monumental church was restored through the collaboration of the diocesan office for cultural heritage, the Fund for Buildings of Worship of the Ministry of the Interior, and the Superintendency, and was reopened for worship on March 21, 2025. This is why the 2026 edition holds special importance: it is a full return to devotion in its historic home.

The Religious Program for February 3rd

The day is punctuated by several liturgical celebrations, allowing all the faithful to participate in the blessing ritual:

• 8:00 AM - Conventual Mass with Gregorian chant
• 10:00 AM and 11:30 AM - Holy Masses
• 5:00 PM - Solemn Eucharistic Concelebration presided over by H.E. Bishop Angelo Spinillo, Bishop of Aversa, accompanied by the Cappella Musicale Lauretana of the Cathedral
• 7:00 PM - Concluding Holy Mass with the traditional kissing of the Saint's distinguished relic

Saint Blaise, Protector of the Throat

In keeping with the tradition associated with the Saint, the feast includes the blessing of the throat and the blessing of bread: a simple and heartfelt gesture that attracts numerous devotees every year. The feast of Saint Blaise, celebrated the day after Candlemas, is among the most deeply rooted in Italian popular piety.

A Heritage of Faith and Art

The San Biagio Feast is not just a religious appointment: it is an opportunity to rediscover one of the most precious sites in the Municipality of Aversa and the Campania region, a heritage of faith, charity, and art that has spanned the centuries. On the day of the feast, the Benedictine Temple returns to being the spiritual center of the Norman city, in an intertwining of history, sacred music, and tradition that continues to unite generations of Aversa residents.