Why do Rome residents get a day off on June 29th?
If you live in Rome, you may get an extra day off work on June 29th. Here's what the city is celebrating and how.
Did you know that Rome has not one, but two patron saints? Both St Peter and St Paul are thought to have been killed under the Emperor Nero in Rome at some point between 64 and 68 AD, making them the city's joint santi patroni.
Catholic tradition holds that both Christian leaders were martyred on June 29th, making it the date on which the city annually celebrates the Festa di San Pietro e Paolo, or Feast of Saints Peter and Paul.
The feast day was in fact a national holiday until March 1977, when a new Italian law decreed that a number of religious festivals, including Epiphany, would no longer be celebrated as public holidays.
Eight years later, in 1985, Epiphany regained its national holiday status, and the Feast of Saints Peter and Paul was made a public holiday solely for the City of Rome.
READ ALSO: Six places to escape the crowds in Rome
As in the case of other local public holidays across the country (St Ambrose in Milan, St Mark in Venice, St Orontius in Lecce, etc.), most employees will be given the day off. By law, those who are asked to work on the day must be paid above their regular hourly rate.
June 29th is an important religious holiday in Rome. Photo by ANDREAS SOLARO / AFP.
Many Romans take advantage of the festival to escape the city's increasingly sultry weather and head to the beach. As this year's Festa falls on a Thursday, you can expect plenty of residents to fare il ponte and take the Friday off to make a long weekend of it.
READ ALSO: How to make the most of Italy's public holidays in 2023
But for those who decide to stay in Rome, there's plenty to do.
As the sites of the saints' respective burials, St Peter's Basilica holds a special mass at 9.30am in the morning, while the church of St. Paul's Outside the Walls traditionally puts on a series of masses starting the day before. Other churches throughout the city will also hold special services.
Whether or not you plan to attend mass, it's worth visiting St. Peter's to see the colourful infiorata flower petal displays that are laid out on the Via della Conciliazione to mark the occasion.
Rome's 2014 infiorata display. Photo by VINCENZO PINTO / AFP.
While many businesses and restaurants close for their staff to take the day off - and the Vatican museums will also be closed - most state museums remain open.
A canoe regatta is due to kick off at 4pm at the point where the Ponte Regina Margherita meets Via Cola di Renzo on the western bank of the Tiber.
The City of Rome has confirmed that the traditional fair held on Via Ostiense near St Paul's Outside the Walls will go ahead this year on both June 28th and 29th between 6pm and midnight.
READ ALSO: Eight things you can do in Rome for free
Finally, the day traditionally closes out with La Girandola fireworks display at 9pm, held on Rome's Pincio Terrace at the edge of Villa Borghese Park and best viewed from Piazza del Popolo directly below.
According to local news reports, this year's display will happen at the usual time and place, and the Carabinieri (police officers) Band will be playing in Piazza del Popolo from 8pm, accompanied by a performance from the Sbandieratori Delle Sette Contrade Di Orte, the 'Flag-wavers of the Seven Districts of Orte'.
Comments
See Also
Did you know that Rome has not one, but two patron saints? Both St Peter and St Paul are thought to have been killed under the Emperor Nero in Rome at some point between 64 and 68 AD, making them the city's joint santi patroni.
Catholic tradition holds that both Christian leaders were martyred on June 29th, making it the date on which the city annually celebrates the Festa di San Pietro e Paolo, or Feast of Saints Peter and Paul.
The feast day was in fact a national holiday until March 1977, when a new Italian law decreed that a number of religious festivals, including Epiphany, would no longer be celebrated as public holidays.
Eight years later, in 1985, Epiphany regained its national holiday status, and the Feast of Saints Peter and Paul was made a public holiday solely for the City of Rome.
READ ALSO: Six places to escape the crowds in Rome
As in the case of other local public holidays across the country (St Ambrose in Milan, St Mark in Venice, St Orontius in Lecce, etc.), most employees will be given the day off. By law, those who are asked to work on the day must be paid above their regular hourly rate.
Many Romans take advantage of the festival to escape the city's increasingly sultry weather and head to the beach. As this year's Festa falls on a Thursday, you can expect plenty of residents to fare il ponte and take the Friday off to make a long weekend of it.
READ ALSO: How to make the most of Italy's public holidays in 2023
But for those who decide to stay in Rome, there's plenty to do.
As the sites of the saints' respective burials, St Peter's Basilica holds a special mass at 9.30am in the morning, while the church of St. Paul's Outside the Walls traditionally puts on a series of masses starting the day before. Other churches throughout the city will also hold special services.
Whether or not you plan to attend mass, it's worth visiting St. Peter's to see the colourful infiorata flower petal displays that are laid out on the Via della Conciliazione to mark the occasion.
While many businesses and restaurants close for their staff to take the day off - and the Vatican museums will also be closed - most state museums remain open.
A canoe regatta is due to kick off at 4pm at the point where the Ponte Regina Margherita meets Via Cola di Renzo on the western bank of the Tiber.
The City of Rome has confirmed that the traditional fair held on Via Ostiense near St Paul's Outside the Walls will go ahead this year on both June 28th and 29th between 6pm and midnight.
READ ALSO: Eight things you can do in Rome for free
Finally, the day traditionally closes out with La Girandola fireworks display at 9pm, held on Rome's Pincio Terrace at the edge of Villa Borghese Park and best viewed from Piazza del Popolo directly below.
According to local news reports, this year's display will happen at the usual time and place, and the Carabinieri (police officers) Band will be playing in Piazza del Popolo from 8pm, accompanied by a performance from the Sbandieratori Delle Sette Contrade Di Orte, the 'Flag-wavers of the Seven Districts of Orte'.
Join the conversation in our comments section below. Share your own views and experience and if you have a question or suggestion for our journalists then email us at [email protected].
Please keep comments civil, constructive and on topic – and make sure to read our terms of use before getting involved.
Please log in here to leave a comment.