San Francesco a Ripa Festival

A patronal festival in the heart of Trastevere

The San Francesco a Ripa Festival is one of the most heartfelt religious and popular events in the Trastevere district, in the Municipality of Rome (Metropolitan City of Rome Capital, Lazio). The center of the celebration is the church of San Francesco a Ripa Grande, in Piazza di San Francesco d'Assisi, guarded by the Friars Minor: one of the oldest Franciscan sites in the city, linked to the Roman stays of the Poor Man of Assisi when he came to the capital to meet the Pope and obtain approval for his Rule.

The Transitus and the Solemnity

The festival takes place over two days, according to the Franciscan liturgical calendar. On the evening of October 3rd, the Transitus is celebrated, commemorating the death of Saint Francis: solemn first vespers and mass presided over by a bishop, in a contemplative atmosphere reminiscent of the night of 1226 at the Porziuncola. October 4th is the Solemnity, a day when the church remains open from the first morning mass until late evening: masses follow one another throughout the day, a celebration dedicated to the children of the district's schools, second vespers in the afternoon, and finally the solemn Eucharistic celebration, which in recent years has been presided over by auxiliary bishops of Rome and cardinals.

The procession through the district streets

The most anticipated moment is the evening procession on October 4th, when the statue of Saint Francis leaves the church and travels through the streets of Trastevere accompanied by a brass band. The route touches the most characteristic places of the district — Viale di Trastevere, Via San Francesco a Ripa, Via Natale del Grande, the very popular Piazza San Cosimato, Via Roma Libera, Via Emilio Morosini, and Via Carlo Tavolacci — before returning to the parish. Illuminated balconies, applause, families coming out into the street: it is one of the few occasions where Trastevere still shows itself as a true neighborhood rather than a nighttime postcard for tourists. The evening concludes with music, the fanfare, and fireworks.

The Cell of Saint Francis

During the festival, it is possible to visit the Saint's Cell, the small room preserved next to the church where, according to tradition, Saint Francis stayed during his Roman visits: the stone bed and relics linked to the Saint are kept there. Guided tours are organized throughout the day on October 4th and represent a rare opportunity to access a space normally little frequented by visitors. In the same church, in the Altieri Chapel, one can find the famous Blessed Ludovica Albertoni by Gian Lorenzo Bernini, one of the absolute masterpieces of Roman Baroque sculpture.

A different October 4th from 2026

From 2026, by virtue of Law 151 of October 8, 2025, October 4th returns to being a national holiday in Italy in honor of Saint Francis, patron saint of Italy: a civil anniversary that had been suppressed in 1977 and which is being restored to coincide with the eighth centenary of the Saint's death (1226-2026). For the Franciscan community of Ripa Grande and for the entire district, this means a festival experienced on a non-working day, with popular participation destined to expand compared to previous years.

Why come

• An authentic patronal festival in one of Rome's most famous districts, far from tourist traps.
• Solemn liturgies with polyphonic choirs and prominent ecclesiastical figures.
• The evening procession with a brass band through the historic streets and squares of Trastevere.
• The visit to the Cell of Saint Francis and the Bernini in the Altieri Chapel.
• Free admission to all celebrations and square events.