San Giovan Giuseppe della Croce Festival

A patron saint festival in the heart of Ischia Ponte

The San Giovan Giuseppe della Croce Festival is the most deeply felt religious and popular event in the Municipality of Ischia, in the Metropolitan City of Naples, Campania. For a few days between late August and early September, the seaside village of Ischia Ponte transforms: lights create arches along the narrow streets leading to the Aragonese Castle, hundreds of bulbs illuminate the facades of historic houses, and the entire district fills with faithful, islanders, and visitors.

This is not just a simple summer festival. It is the feast day of the patron saint of Ischia island, a moment when the community rediscovers its maritime identity and devotion, just as the tourist season begins to slow down and the island approaches the grape harvest.

Who was San Giovan Giuseppe della Croce

Born in Ischia on August 15, 1654, with the name Carlo Gaetano Calosirto, he joined the Alcantarine Franciscans at a very young age. He is remembered in popular memory as the "friar of a hundred patches": his vow of poverty was so rigorous that he never changed his habit, simply adding patch upon patch. Proclaimed a saint by Pope Gregory XVI on May 26, 1839, he is commemorated by the liturgy on March 5, the day of his death, while the popular festival is celebrated in early September. On the island, it is said that his protection spared Ischia from the bombings of the last war: a devotion still felt today in every phase of the festivities.

His relics are kept in the Collegiate Church of the Holy Spirit in Ischia Ponte, a building erected thanks to the bequests of the village's fishermen and sailors: a detail that well explains the strong bond between the saint and the seafaring people.

The sea procession, the most anticipated moment

The heart of the festival is the sea procession. The venerated image of the saint is placed on a fishing boat and carried from Ischia Ponte to Ischia Porto, followed by a line of boats filled with the faithful. After landing, the procession continues by land along the city streets to the church, where, by tradition, the saint "greets" the Madonna with three bows before returning. It is considered one of the most evocative sea processions on the island, second in fame only to that of Saint Michael the Archangel in Sant'Angelo.

Music, comedy, and fireworks

Alongside the liturgical program—solemn masses, concelebrations presided over by the bishop of the Ischia diocese, Eucharistic adorations, and celebrations dedicated to seafarers—a rich civil calendar unfolds, hosted primarily at Piazzale delle Alghe. Over the years, the program has featured:

• concerts by island brass bands, particularly the "Città di Ischia" band, often accompanied by opera soloists;
• comedy shows from the Neapolitan tradition, much loved by the local public;
• pop and gospel concerts, and tributes to classic Neapolitan songs;
• moments dedicated to children, including rides and shows;
• the grand fireworks display at sea, launched around midnight in front of the Aragonese Castle.

Illuminations, stalls, and island flavors

The atmosphere of the festival also appeals to the senses: toasted almonds and peanuts, cotton candy, lupin beans, and pumpkin seeds fill the air of the village, while stalls offer various types of nougat that many buy as a souvenir to take home. At Piazzale Aragonese, a food stand is set up with island wines and typical Ischian products, alongside stalls selling toys and rides for children.

When it takes place and how to experience it

Tradition places the festivities in the week of the first Sunday of September, lasting about four days; in some years, the calendar extends, and celebrations begin in the final days of August. We recommend arriving in Ischia Ponte in the late afternoon, when the lights turn on and the village comes alive: all celebrations and shows are held outdoors and are free of charge.