San Marziale

On the first of July in Colle, the patron saint of the city, San Marziale, missionary bishop of the third century, is celebrated. Martial was a young Jew who once received baptism left his family to follow the apostle Peter. Following the latter he witnessed several miracles, then again with Peter in Antioch he met two fellow believers who accompanied him on his mission of evangelization of Gaul, as Peter had commanded. However, one of the two died near Gracciano so Martial returned to Rome to warn Peter of the incident. The apostle then gave the young man his staff to resurrect his dead companion. Martial obeyed and when he returned to Colle he placed his stick as he had been told by Pietro next to the defenseless body of his friend who immediately resurrects, thus marking the first miracle of San Marziale. In memory of this miraculous event, every year for the 1st of July the Colligiana community pays homage to its patron saint with a great party in the streets of Gracciano. Music, liturgical ceremonies, food stands, entertainment, local craft stalls and lots of fun that invade the town of Gracciano for a day. The day ends with the traditional fireworks.