San Zanobi Festival – Patronal Feast of Scandicci

The Patronal Feast of Scandicci

The San Zanobi Festival is the most cherished event of the year for Scandicci, a populous municipality in the Metropolitan City of Florence, Tuscany. Every year, around mid-May, the city honors its patron saint with a week of activities that weave together religious, historical, and popular traditions, involving local parishes, associations, and the Pro Loco.

Who was San Zanobi

San Zanobi was born in Florence around the mid-4th century and died circa 417. As a Bishop of Florence and one of the city's co-patrons, tradition holds that he often retreated for meditation to a cave in the Casignano area, in the hills of Scandicci. This deep connection to the local landscape makes the festival a cornerstone of local identity—not just a liturgical recurrence, but a story of a community that recognizes the saint's memory in its own hills.

A week of events

The program spans several days, alternating spiritual moments with activities open to all:

• 'Scollinando' Trekking: A guided walk organized by the Pro Loco, retracing the places where the saint lived, starting from Piazzale Kennedy.
• Concerts and cultural events in the Town Council Hall.
• Eucharistic celebrations, including a solemn mass presided over by the Archbishop.
• 'The Bishop listening to the voices of the city', an opportunity for dialogue between the head of the diocese and local citizens and associations.
• The San Zanobi Night Run, a traditional evening footrace.
• Charity dinner supporting local social causes.

The historical pageant

The most anticipated moment is the historical pageant, which parades through the city streets on the evening of the feast from Piazza Matteotti to Piazzale della Resistenza. Costumed figures, flag-throwers, and historical groups bring the center of Scandicci to life, recreating the atmosphere of the Medieval and Renaissance Florence to which the saint is linked. It is an event that combines devotion and spectacle, drawing residents and visitors from across the Florentine area.

A celebration for the whole community

Organized by the San Zanobi Association under the patronage of the Municipality of Scandicci, the festival is the result of the hard work of volunteers, parishes, and local associations. Part of the proceeds from side events is donated to charitable projects, confirming the community spirit that has always defined this celebration at the gates of Florence.