Sant'Antonio Abate - 'A lampe 'e Sant'Antuon'

The night of fire that opens the Carnival

On the solemnity of Saint Anthony the Abbot, January 17th, the Franciscan Convent of Santa Maria delle Grazie in Santa Maria Capua Vetere, in the province of Caserta, becomes the meeting point for the entire city. This is where 'A lampe 'e Sant'Antuon' takes place: the purifying bonfire that, according to a custom deeply rooted in the rural Campania region, marks the official start of the Carnival days. This is not a grand, staged event, but a simple, communal ritual that the Friars Minor have chosen to revive «to pass it on above all to the new generations», drawing inspiration from popular devotion and faith.

The purifying bonfire

Around 7:30 PM, in the space adjacent to the churchyard dedicated to the Virgin of Grace, the purifying fire is lit and blessed. The gesture recalls the victory of Saint Anthony the Abbot over evil and the temptations of the devil: the flames devouring the pile of brushwood are, in the imagination of the Terra di Lavoro region, a sign of a year shedding its negativity and starting anew. The light of the bonfire in the winter darkness, the crackling of the wood, and the scent of smoke create an ancient atmosphere that has been repeated in the same spot in Santa Maria Capua Vetere for years.

The blessing of the animals

The most anticipated moment of the evening takes place before the lit bonfire: the blessing of the domestic animals that families bring to the convent. Saint Anthony the Abbot is, in fact, the patron saint of animals and the rural world, and his feast day still preserves this direct link to the daily life of homes and stables. The blessing is imparted by Father Luigi Campoli, pastor of the Franciscan community. It is an event that attracts many families with children, making the evening particularly suitable for the little ones.

The sausage and friarielli festival

Once the religious part concludes, the evening changes pace and opens up to conviviality. In the convent square, the sausage and friarielli festival is set up: hot sandwiches filled with the most iconic duo of Campanian cuisine, prepared and served by parish groups and associations collaborating with the friars. Accompanying the tasting is musical and theatrical entertainment, entrusted in past editions to the singer, actor, and theater director Francesco Patria. In case of rain, the event moves indoors to the Sala Santa Chiara of the convent.

A convent built on a Constantinian basilica

The setting is not a secondary detail. The Santa Maria delle Grazie complex stands just outside the town, on a site that preserves the remains of a paleo-Christian basilica from the Constantinian era: the central apse, about twelve meters in diameter, is still visible, as is an octagonal baptistery built with the same brick and tuff technique as the basilica. In the twentieth century, thanks largely to the legacy of Cristina Mesolella in 1914, the convent gradually expanded with a large multipurpose hall, sports facilities, and parking, becoming a true center of aggregation for the neighborhood.

Sant'Antuono in the Terra di Lavoro

The feast of Sant'Antuono is one of the most vibrant chapters of Caserta folklore: throughout the province, between January 16th and 17th, bonfires are lit and festivities begin, leading up to Carnival. In Santa Maria Capua Vetere, the Franciscan convent's event stands out for its intimate and familiar tone, far from the large kermesses: first prayer and fire, then a shared sandwich under the portico. Visitors to the city can combine the evening with a visit to the Campanian Amphitheater and the Mithraeum, extraordinary testimonies of ancient Capua.

Why it's worth going

• An authentic ritual on January 17th, not a tourist reconstruction
• The blessing of the animals, a perfect moment for families
• The sausage and friarielli festival, Campanian cuisine in its most genuine version
• A place of great historical value, between paleo-Christian archaeology and parish life
• Free admission and a village festival atmosphere