Solemnity of Saint Geronzio – Feast of the Patron Saint

The patron saint's feast of Cagli

On May 9th, the city of Cagli, in the hinterland of the province of Pesaro and Urbino, pays homage to its patron saint, Saint Geronzio. It is one of the most deeply felt anniversaries by the Cagli community: an event that renews an ancient tradition every year, intertwining religious devotion with the civic identity of this village overlooking the Via Flaminia, along the axis that has always connected the Marche region to Umbria and Rome.

Who was Saint Geronzio

Saint Geronzio was the Bishop of Cervia. According to tradition, reported by historians Ughelli and Cappelletti, he participated in a Roman synod convened by Pope Symmachus and, on his way back, was attacked and beheaded while travelling along the Via Flaminia near Cagli, in a place called Campo Ventoso, at the Foci of the city. The event is placed around the year 504. It is precisely in that location, at the northern entrance of the Gola del Burano gorge, that the church dedicated to him stands. It was rebuilt in its current form in 1725 by the Cagli community and is marked by a plaque commemorating the martyrdom.

The day of celebration

The celebrations begin in the morning with masses in the Church of Saint Geronzio, at the site of martyrdom, where many citizens make a pilgrimage. In the late afternoon, the focus shifts to the Co-Cathedral Basilica, in the historic center, where the Solemn Holy Mass is celebrated, presided over by the Bishop of the Diocese of Fano-Fossombrone-Cagli-Pergola. Afterwards, the procession begins, which, from the Co-Cathedral, reaches the Church of Saint Geronzio. It is a devotional procession accompanied by the Polyphonic Choir of Cagli and the City of Cagli Wind Band, traversing the city streets to the place where tradition locates the saint's death.

A living tradition in the Marche

The solemnity of Saint Geronzio is much more than a religious service: it is the moment when Cagli comes together around its roots. The devotion to the saint is evidenced by the numerous places dedicated to him in the city, from the church at the site of martyrdom to the altar in the Co-Cathedral. Participating in the patronal feast means discovering a small community in the Marche hinterland and one of its identity-defining events, immersed in the landscape of the Gola del Burano gorge and the ancient Via Flaminia.