On October 4, 2026, Pietrelcina recorded what local broadcaster NTR24 described as an exceptional turnout of pilgrims and tourists for the feast of Saint Francis.
According to NTR24, parking areas filled up, entrances to the town were temporarily closed by the Municipal Police, and queues stretching for several kilometres formed. No precise, independently verified attendance figure is available, and the exact duration of the closures and length of the queues has not been confirmed by a second source.
Mayor Salvatore Mazzone linked the turnout to the international appeal of Saint Pio and to promotion of the local area, NTR24 reported.
A religious feast with national and civic resonance
The October 4 celebration combines a religious observance dedicated to Saint Francis with civic values including peace, fraternity, dialogue among religions, and care for the environment, as described by the Review of the Basilica of Saint Francis.
The 2026 observance also carried a new national context: October 4 has been established as an Italian national feast day dedicated to Saint Francis of Assisi, effective from January 1, 2026. In 2026, the date fell on a Sunday.
Managing visitor flows in Pietrelcina, Benevento
For Pietrelcina, in the province of Benevento, the episode highlights the challenge of accommodating large pilgrim and tourist flows on peak religious days.
NTR24 reported that the town has approved a new General Urban Traffic Plan, presented as a tool for managing tourist traffic. The sources consulted do not document the plan's implementation timetable or the economic effects of the October 4 influx.
What is confirmed is the pattern reported on the day: full parking, temporary access controls by the Municipal Police, and long approach queues — a sign of the continuing draw of Pietrelcina on Saint Francis Day in its first year as a national holiday.
