Procession of St. Sebastian

The Procession of St. Sebastian is one of the oldest and most heartfelt events in Dolceacqua, combining Christian spirituality and propitiatory rites with an archaic flavor. It takes place every year on the Sunday closest to January 20, the day dedicated to the saint, and has its roots in peasant and perhaps even protohistoric traditions.

The preparation is entrusted to the Confraternity of Bastianin, which for months takes care of specially planted trees so that one, the most luxuriant, can be cut down and carried in procession. On the evening of the eve, the chosen tree is carried to the oratory of San Sebastiano in the Borgo district and decorated with colorful wafers: symbols of abundance, fertility and good omen for the year’s harvests.

On the following day, during the solemn procession through the streets of the village, the adorned tree opens the procession, followed by the statue of the saint, amidst the recollection of the community and the ringing of bells. It is customary that the branches with wafers are kept in homes for an entire year and consumed only in case of illness, as a gesture of faith and protection.

This rite, which blends the sacred and the profane, celebrates the cyclical nature of agricultural life, popular devotion, and the deep connection between the land and the community of Dolceacqua.