St. John the Evangelist Feast — St. John's Traditions

An ancient ritual on St. John's Eve

In the heart of inland Abruzzo, in Colledimezzo—a small town in the province of Chieti perched on the Castellano hill overlooking Lake Bomba—St. John's Eve remains a deeply felt community event. The St. John's Traditions, organized by the Pro Loco Colledimezzo, celebrate the eve of June 23rd with a blend of nature, folklore, and collective participation rooted in the peasant culture of the Sangro valley.

A walk among wild herbs

The heart of the event is a guided walk to discover the local wild herbs. Walking along the paths surrounding the village, amidst stories, curiosities, and folk traditions, participants learn to recognize the plants and flowers associated with the most magical night of the year. It is a slow and authentic way to rediscover a landscape that unites the lake's water, the hills, and the Abruzzo mountains.

St. John's Water

Upon returning from the walk, everyone prepares the traditional St. John's Water together: according to a custom widespread throughout Italy, flowers and herbs collected are left to infuse in water overnight between June 23rd and 24th, so that the dew may make them beneficial. This simple, collective gesture keeps alive a folk wisdom passed down from generation to generation.

The church that gives the festival its name

The festival is dedicated to St. John the Apostle and Evangelist, to whom the village's parish church—the main landmark of the historic center—is named. Built in the 18th century (the first stone was laid in 1737 and the building was completed around 1748), the church houses valuable pictorial decorations and a copy of a painting attributed to Tanzio da Varallo, one of the great masters of the 17th-century Italian school.

Conviviality and music

The evening concludes with a convivial aperitif accompanied by music, an opportunity to gather in the square and extend the celebration under the summer sky. It is the moment when the community of Colledimezzo embraces its roots, warmly welcoming those arriving from outside to experience an authentic piece of Abruzzo.

Why attend

• An authentic experience of Abruzzo folk tradition, far from mass tourism.
• A nature walk with views of Lake Bomba.
• The participatory preparation of St. John's Water.
• Aperitif and music in one of the most scenic villages in the province of Chieti.