The Feast of St. John (Florence, Genoa, Turin) 2025 in Italy

The Feast of St John (La Festa di San Giovanni) is an annual public holiday in the Italian cities of Florence, Turin, and Genoa on June 24. It honors St John, also known as John the Baptist.

Is The Feast of St. John (Florence, Genoa, Turin) a Public Holiday?

The Feast of St. John (Florence, Genoa, Turin) is a public holiday. It is a day off for the general population, and schools and most businesses are closed.

What Do People Do?

In Florence, a parade traditionally occurs at the city center, followed by fireworks over the Arno River in the evening. A popular activity while watching the fireworks is eating gelato, which is similar to ice cream. In both Turin and Genoa (Genova), Festa di San Giovanni events span over 2 days, June 23-24, and include parades, music, sporting events, fireworks, and traditional bonfires.

Public Life

St John’s Day is a public holiday in Florence, Genoa and Turin so many businesses and public offices are closed.

Background

St John (San Giovanni) is Florence’s patron saint who was beheaded around the year 30 CE. He was a preacher and religious figure during Jesus' lifetime. Baptism rituals in the Jordan River were an important part of his ministry. St John’s birthday is celebrated on June 24 in many churches.

Symbols

Images of St John the Baptist often depict him wearing a camel-skin robe and with a cross and a lamb. He is often shown baptizing people, particularly Jesus. It is believed that the Cathedral of San Lorenzo in Genoa keeps relics such as John the Baptist’s ashes.

While we diligently research and update our holiday dates, some of the information in the table above may be preliminary. If you find an error, please let us know.