Santa Rita da Cascia Celebrations – Perdonanza Leoniana
Atri's grand devotional festival featuring the plenary indulgence granted by Leo XIII
About Santa Rita – Perdonanza Leoniana
The Saint Rita Festival in Atri
In the historic center of Atri, in the province of Teramo, the festivities in honor of Saint Rita of Cascia represent the most deeply felt devotional event of the year. Every May, the city gathers around the Diocesan Sanctuary of Santo Spirito, a destination for pilgrims arriving from across Abruzzo to venerate the saint of the impossible and obtain the plenary indulgence of the Perdonanza Leoniana.
The Perdonanza Leoniana
What makes the Atri festival unique is the ancient privilege of the plenary indulgence granted in 1901 by Pope Leo XIII to the church of Santo Spirito, at the request of the bishop at the time. For over a century, during the days of the festival, the faithful have been able to receive the Pardon by visiting the sanctuary: a spiritual treasure that links Atri to the great tradition of jubilee indulgences and continues to attract devotees and curious visitors today.
Faith and Popular Tradition
The religious program marks the days with the preparatory novena, pontifical masses presided over by the bishops of the Teramo-Atri diocese, the evocative procession with the statue of the Saint through the streets of the center, and the blessing of the roses, a Marian and Saint Rita symbol par excellence. There is also the octave of thanksgiving, with celebrations extending the festival until the end of the month.
Music and Concerts in the Square
Alongside the spiritual dimension, the festival has always had a strong popular character. Brass bands enliven the streets with their parades through the city, while Piazza Duomo and Piazza Duchi d'Acquaviva host evening concerts with renowned artists, tribute bands, and live music nights that transform the village into an open-air celebration.
Atri, City of Art
Attending the festivities is also the perfect opportunity to discover Atri, one of the Most Beautiful Villages in Italy: the majestic Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta with frescoes by Andrea De Litio, the evocative badlands (calanchi), and the historical heritage of this corner of the Teramo Abruzzo, just a few kilometers from the Adriatic coast.
Santa Rita – Perdonanza Leoniana — edition 2026
2026 Edition — 125th Anniversary of the Perdonanza Leoniana
The 2026 festivities held special significance: the 125th anniversary of the plenary indulgence granted in 1901 by Pope Leo XIII to the Sanctuary of Santo Spirito. The preparatory novena began on May 13 at the parish of San Nicola, leading up to the three solemn days.
The program intertwined the deep religious dimension — with pontifical masses presided over by the bishops of the Teramo-Atri diocese and the solemn procession with the statue of the Saint — with a lively civil program animated by local brass bands and evening concerts in the square, including the highly anticipated live performance by Danilo Sacco, the historic voice of I Nomadi.
Programme Santa Rita – Perdonanza Leoniana 2026
Thursday, May 21
- 16:00 — "A. Cruciani" Brass Band Concert (cond. M° Francesco Albertini)
- 17:30 — Solemn Procession of the Perdonanza Leoniana (departure from the Church of San Nicola)
- 18:00 — Pontifical Holy Mass presided over by H.E. Mons. Gianfranco De Luca, with the opening of the Pardon and Plenary Indulgence; celebration of the Pious Transit with the "Santa Rita" Choir
- 21:30 — Piazza Duomo: concert by The Soul Fire (Carlo Mancini vocals, Franco Angelozzi keyboards, Tommaso Paolone bass, Michele Rapini drums, Riccardo Ciarcelluti guitars)
Friday, May 22
- 6:30 — Continuous Holy Masses
- 9:30 — "V. e B. Celli" Brass Band Concert (cond. M° Concezio Leonzi)
- 11:00 — Piazza Duomo: musical matinée
- 11:15 — Mass with blessing of the roses and distribution of blessed roses
- 17:00 — Band parade through the city
- 18:00 — Pontifical Mass presided over by H.E. Mons. Lorenzo Leuzzi; followed by a solemn procession with the statue of the Saint, sermon by Father Piero Berti, and blessing with relics
- 21:30 — Piazza Duchi d'Acquaviva: Danilo Sacco (historic voice of I Nomadi) in live concert
Saturday, May 23
- 17:00 — Presentation of the "Rosarium Virginis Mariae" (Prof. Emilio Marcone), with the participation of actress Sister Annamaria Lolli
- 18:00 — Solemn Mass and beginning of the Octave of Thanksgiving
- 21:30 — Piazza Duomo: PieMix Generation Party with Alex Di Rocco and Christine (sax-singer)
Saturday, May 30
- 18:00 — Concluding Solemn Mass and drawing of the Saint Rita painting
Highlights Santa Rita – Perdonanza Leoniana 2026
Prices Santa Rita – Perdonanza Leoniana 2026
Practical information — Santa Rita – Perdonanza Leoniana
How to get there
Atri can be reached by car via the A14 motorway (Atri-Pineto exit), about 10 km from the Adriatic coast. The reference train station is Atri-Pineto, on the Adriatic line, connected to the historic center by local buses.
Where it takes place
Religious celebrations are held at the Diocesan Sanctuary of Santo Spirito; processions depart from the churches of the historic center. Civil events and concerts mainly take place in Piazza Duomo and Piazza Duchi d'Acquaviva.
Tips
Admission to celebrations and concerts is free. In case of bad weather, civil events are held at the Teatro Comunale. A visit to the Cathedral of Atri and the surrounding badlands is highly recommended.
Festival-goer photos
No photos yet. Share yours!
Share your photos
5 photos max, 5 MB per photo (JPG, PNG, WebP)
Noticed an error or missing information?
Help us keep this listing up to date. Every proposal is verified by our team before publication.
Festival-goer reviews
No rating yet — be the first!
No comments yet. Be the first!
Were you there?
Share your experience with the community.
Where does it take place — Santa Rita – Perdonanza Leoniana
Santuario Diocesano di Santo Spirito
Corso Elio Adriano, 64032 Atri