Festa di San Francesco is a multi-day event held annually in Assisi, Italy, to celebrate St. Francis, the Patron of Italy.
The event takes place on October 3-4 and involves various festivities, including processions, religious services, and a traditional street fair.
The town of Assisi comes alive with colorful banners, medieval dress, and lively music during the celebrations.
Each year, one of Italy’s regions brings oil to fuel the votive lamp that burns year-round in front of St. Francis’ tomb.
The event is free to attend and open to everyone, providing a unique opportunity for visitors to engage in Italy’s rich cultural history.
October 3rd: Processions, religious services, and other festivities
October 4th: Solemn ceremony of the Transit, street fair, and various celebrations
St. Francis, born in Assisi, is one of Italy’s most beloved and venerated saints.
Proclaimed the Patron of Italy by Pope Pius XII in 1939, his message of peace, brotherhood, and dialogue among all peoples and religions remains relevant today.
The Festa di San Francesco has been celebrated annually in Assisi since the proclamation, with each of Italy’s twenty regions taking turns to offer oil for the votive lamp at St. Francis’ tomb.
The event has grown over the years to include various religious and civil initiatives, awards, conferences, and commemorations. The highlight of the celebration is the solemn ceremony of the Transit in the Lower Basilica, which marks the passage from life to death of St. Francis.
