The Satriano Cavalcade is a historic re-enactment of St. Francis’ final journey that winds along a splendid itinerary through the most beautiful villages of Mount Subasio.
The Satriano Cavalcade is an evocative historic re-enactment of Francis’ final journey back to his birthplace as he lay dying.
Franciscan sources tell us that towards the end of the summer in 1226, the citizens of Assisi heard that the Saint was now seriously ill and suffering with continual eye pain, so they sent a solemn delegation of knights on horseback to form a procession and bring him back to Assisi.
During the journey, Francis and the knights stopped at Satriano, a village between Assisi and Nocera Umbra. Hungry, they tried to buy something, but came back empty handed, so Francis spurred them on to try again without shame and to humbly beg in return for “offering the love of God in payment”.
In 1923, the town Podestà, Arnaldo Fortini, established the Compagnia dei Cavalieri di Satriano [Company of the Knights of Satriano] to commemorate the event for the first time in 1926.
On 31 August and 1 September every year, the group of knights leaves Assisi with the blessing of the Sacred Convent, rides to the tiny village of Satriano near Nocera Umbra and then returns to the holy town.
Travellling all the stages the Saint passed through, including Armenzano, Pian della Pieve, Villa Postigano, la Romita di Nocera Umbra and San Leonardo, the cavalcade winds its way along a splendid itinerary through the most beautiful villages of Mount Subasio.
