Santa Maria Salome Festival

The patronal feast of Veroli and the entire diocese

The Santa Maria Salome Festival is the most heartfelt event of the year in Veroli, an elegant city of art in the province of Frosinone, in the heart of the Ciociaria region, Lazio. Santa Maria Salome is not only the patron saint of the city but also of the entire diocese, which is why the festival draws pilgrims and visitors from across the surrounding area. The culmination of the celebrations falls on May 25th, the day of the Translation, which has always been one of the moments of greatest religious and popular participation for the Veroli community.

Santa Maria Salome and the Basilica with the Holy Stairs

According to evangelical tradition, Mary Salome was one of the pious women who followed Jesus to Calvary and went to the sepulcher on Easter morning, as well as the mother of the apostles James the Greater and John. Her relics are kept in Veroli in the Co-cathedral Basilica of Santa Maria Salome, which also houses a Holy Stairs, one of the few existing outside Rome: a privilege that makes the basilica a pilgrimage destination throughout the year. During the festival days, the patron saint's skull is exposed for the veneration of the faithful, while parish communities from the territory make pilgrimages to what the locals affectionately call the home of the saint.

Rites and traditions: pilgrimages, bells, and processions

The festival spans about ten days, typically from May 16th to 25th, with a dense religious program: daily rosaries and masses, the blessing of the grain, candlelight processions, and prayer moments dedicated to families. Among the oldest rituals are the ringing of the bells at 9:00 PM, which announces the festival to the entire territory, the evocative shower of roses, and the opening of the Door of Indulgence. The most anticipated moment is the solemn celebration presided over by the bishop, followed by the procession with the saint's bust through the streets of the historic center to the Cathedral of Sant'Andrea: a procession of faith that crosses medieval alleys and squares crowded with the faithful.

The civil program in Piazza Mazzoli

Alongside the religious rites, the Pro Loco Veroli and the municipal administration organize a rich civil program that enlivens Piazza Mazzoli for four evenings: concerts by national artists, live music, DJ sets, folk music performances, and a dining area with dozens of food trucks. Over the years, the festival stage has hosted names such as Pierdavide Carone, Silvia Mezzanotte, Giuliano Gabriele, and the Canzoniere Grecanico Salentino, confirming a high-quality musical lineup, always with free admission. It is the moment when the sacred and the profane intertwine harmoniously, transforming the patronal feast into an event for all ages.

Veroli, a medieval jewel of the Ciociaria

Participating in the festival is also an opportunity to discover Veroli, one of the most fascinating villages in southern Lazio: the cyclopean walls, the Casamari Abbey just a few kilometers away, the medieval alleys, and the views over the Liri river valley. The Municipality of Veroli supports the event as a profound moment of collective identity, capable of enhancing local traditions and promoting the territory of the province of Frosinone and the Lazio Region.