Santa Maria Liberatrice Patronal Feast
The Testaccio district celebrates its patron saint with concerts in the square and a traditional procession
About Santa Maria Liberatrice Feast
A festival that defines the neighborhood's identity
In the heart of Rome's Testaccio district, the Santa Maria Liberatrice Patronal Feast is much more than a religious observance: it is the moment when an entire neighborhood comes together. Established in the early 1900s, when Testaccio was the capital's working-class district and the new church entrusted to the Salesians became its gravity center, the festival has been part of the neighborhood's life for over a century. Today, it is recognized as one of the historic district festivals of Municipio I Roma Centro, in the Municipality of Rome, Lazio.
Where it takes place
The heart of the event is Piazza Santa Maria Liberatrice, the large tree-lined square overlooked by the parish church, flanked by the nearby Piazza Testaccio and the Salesian oratory spaces. These three areas host stages, playing fields, and workshops simultaneously: within a few minutes' walk, you can go from a five-a-side football tournament to a concert, or from face painting to a church service.
Three days of music, sport, and devotion
The program is intentionally dual and intertwined. On one side, the civil events, organized by the Municipality and local associations: evening concerts in the square, sports exhibitions, board games, storytellers, and creative workshops for children. On the other, the religious and parish program, which begins in the preceding days with the Holy Rosary, the children's floral tribute, the parish choir's serenade to the Madonna, and a series of Holy Masses.
- Concerts in the square: Italian music stars and tribute bands, with free admission
- Sport: karate, youth basketball, five-a-side football tournaments, memorial matches, and a children's mini-marathon
- Children: face painting, traditional games, creative workshops, and storytellers
- Celebrations: rosaries, solemn masses, and the Pentecost vigil
The procession, the most anticipated moment
Everything converges on Sunday evening, when the statue of the Madonna leaves the church to travel through the district's streets. It is the ritual that captures the essence of Testaccio more than any other: illuminated windows, decorated balconies, residents watching from their homes, and generations mingling behind the statue. For those who want to understand what a "neighborhood festival" still means in Rome today, this is the perfect moment to experience it.
Testaccio, the neighborhood
The festival takes place in one of the capital's most characteristic districts: the former slaughterhouse (now an exhibition and university venue), the Monte dei Cocci made of Roman amphorae, the local market, and the most authentic Roman trattorias. Participating in the patronal feast is also an excellent opportunity to discover a neighborhood that has managed to remain popular just a stone's throw from the monumental center.
Who organizes it
The event is promoted by Municipio I Roma Centro together with the Salesian parish of Santa Maria Liberatrice and the numerous associations of the district, which every year create a varied program of events, religious celebrations, and cultural initiatives open to all.
Santa Maria Liberatrice Feast — edition 2026
A rich and well-attended edition
In 2026, the Testaccio district's patronal feast spanned three days of public events, preceded by nearly a week of religious and sports appointments. The district's two squares, Piazza Testaccio and Piazza Santa Maria Liberatrice, hosted stages and family activities, while the Salesian oratory scheduled karate, youth basketball, five-a-side football tournaments, and traditional memorial matches.
The concerts
The opening evening on Friday, May 29, began with institutional greetings and a concert by the Walkmen Band. On Saturday, May 30, the stage in Piazza Santa Maria Liberatrice welcomed Iva Zanicchi, while on Sunday, May 31, the Rino Gaetano Band closed the event with music. All events in the square had free admission.
The religious part
Celebrations began on Wednesday, May 27, and culminated on Sunday, May 31, with a solemn Holy Mass presided over by Monsignor Giuseppe Marcocci, a Salesian, followed at 7:00 PM by the procession with the statue of the Madonna through the district streets.
Programme Santa Maria Liberatrice Feast 2026
Sports, entertainment, and cultural events
Friday, May 29
5:00 PM — A.S.D. Agility Sport field: exhibition and free ping pong trials for children
8:00 PM — Institutional greetings and Walkmen Band concert with Stefano Bullian, Roberta Marini, Rino Narciso, Marco Garattini, Alessandro Salvo Cugliari
Saturday, May 30
10:00 AM — Sports for children with Ready Go in Piazza Testaccio
10:00 AM — Face painting, games, creative workshop, storytellers
5:00 PM — Board games and children's workshop (Piazza Testaccio and Piazza Santa Maria Liberatrice)
6:30 PM — Iva Zanicchi concert in Piazza Santa Maria Liberatrice, with Gianna Aulioli, Alessandro Anselmi, Stefano Pacioni, Daniela Gallo, the 21-30 group, Marco Calò, and Fabio Lucidi
Sunday, May 31 — Piazza Santa Maria Liberatrice
4:00 PM — Board games and children's workshop
9:30 PM — Rino Gaetano Band concert with Alessandro Gaetani, Ivan Almi, Alberto Lombardi, Fabio Fraschini, Michele Amadori, Marco Morandi
Religious and parish events in the church
Wednesday, May 27
6:00 PM — Holy Rosary
6:30 PM — Holy Mass of Santa Maria Mother of the Church
Thursday, May 28
5:00 PM — Children's floral tribute and blessing of the children
6:30 PM — Holy Mass
7:00 PM — "Serenade" to Mary, by the parish choir
Friday, May 29
6:00 PM — Holy Rosary
6:30 PM — Holy Mass
9:00 PM — Pentecost Vigil
Saturday, May 30
6:00 PM — Holy Rosary
6:30 PM — Holy Mass
Sunday, May 31
10:30 AM — Holy Mass for youth and families
6:00 PM — Solemn Holy Mass presided over by Monsignor Giuseppe Marcocci, Salesian
7:00 PM — Procession through the district streets with the statue of the Madonna
Oratory events
Monday, May 25 — 5:30 PM: Karate competition exhibition
Tuesday, May 26 — 7:30 PM: Football, "Edoardo Clementi Memorial"
Wednesday, May 27 — 5:30 PM: Youth basketball matches; 8:00 PM: Five-a-side football tournament
Thursday, May 28 — 5:30 PM: Football, "Roby Storti Memorial"
Sunday, May 31 — 11:30 AM: Mini-marathon for those born between 2011 and 2021
Highlights Santa Maria Liberatrice Feast 2026
- Iva Zanicchi concert in Piazza Santa Maria Liberatrice, Saturday, May 30
- Rino Gaetano Band concert, Sunday, May 31 at 9:30 PM
- Procession with the statue of the Madonna through the district streets, Sunday evening at 7:00 PM
- Solemn Holy Mass presided over by Monsignor Giuseppe Marcocci, Salesian
- Mini-marathon for children and sports tournaments in the Salesian oratory
- Creative workshops, face painting, and storytellers for families
Prices Santa Maria Liberatrice Feast 2026
Practical information — Santa Maria Liberatrice Feast
How to get there
Metro Line B, Piramide stop (about a 10-minute walk) or Garbatella stop. Regional trains and the Roma-Lido line at Ostiense station. Numerous bus lines serve Via Marmorata and Piazza Testaccio. The district is easy to navigate on foot, but parking is very difficult during the festival: arriving by public transport is highly recommended.
Prices
Access to the squares, concerts, and children's activities is free. Religious celebrations take place in the parish church.
Tips
On Sunday evening, it is best to arrive in Piazza Santa Maria Liberatrice a little early to follow the procession. The neighborhood offers one of the best concentrations of Roman trattorias in the city: booking ahead is a good idea during the festival days.
Information
Roma Capitale contact center: 06 0606.
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Where does it take place — Santa Maria Liberatrice Feast
Piazza Santa Maria Liberatrice e Piazza Testaccio
Piazza Santa Maria Liberatrice, 00153 Roma