Patron saint of Bologna: San Petronio
The card shows the date of San Petronio in the chosen year, the day of the week and the possible bridge; change town to compare.
San Petronio, patron saint of Bologna
Monday, 4 October 2027
In 2027 it coincides with St Francis of Assisi, patron saint of Italy: no extra day off.
| Bridge with the patron day | none |
| Province | BO |
| Region | Emilia-Romagna |
| Source checked on | 28 October 2026 |
Source: Feste Petroniane, il programma delle iniziative per la ricorrenza di San Petronio - Archivio notizie.
| Year | Date | Day |
|---|---|---|
| 2027 | 4 October 2027 | Monday |
| 2028 | 4 October 2028 | Wednesday |
| 2029 | 4 October 2029 | Thursday |
| 2030 | 4 October 2030 | Friday |
| 2031 | 4 October 2031 | Saturday |
Prepared by Radif Partners · Method · Law 260/1949 and amendments checked on 28 October 2026
The patron saint of Bologna is San Petronio, celebrated on 4 October: the municipality states it on its own website, which we read on 28 October 2026. In Bologna, as in Massa, the patron saint falls on the same day as the national 4 October holiday. In 2027 4 October is a Monday: a long weekend for everyone with no leave, but for Bologna not an extra day. With the patron saint, someone working in Bologna Monday to Friday has 254 working days in 2027, against 254 without. For people working in Bologna, 4 October was already a day off before the 2025 law; now it is one across Italy. In the bridge calculation this means the patron saint adds nothing, and the calendar of people working in the city matches the national one.
San Petronio in Bologna in the coming years
| Year | Date | Day | Working days in the year | Bridge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 4 October | Sunday | 254 | same day as St Francis of Assisi, patron saint of Italy |
| 2027 | 4 October | Monday | 254 | same day as St Francis of Assisi, patron saint of Italy |
| 2028 | 4 October | Wednesday | 249 | same day as St Francis of Assisi, patron saint of Italy |
| 2029 | 4 October | Thursday | 252 | same day as St Francis of Assisi, patron saint of Italy |
| 2030 | 4 October | Friday | 252 | same day as St Francis of Assisi, patron saint of Italy |
The patron saint's day in Bologna
Bologna is a special case since 2026. 4 October was already a holiday in the city as San Petronio's day; Law 151 of 2025 also made it the national feast of St Francis of Assisi. The result is that the rest of Italy gained a day off and Bologna did not: the two feasts fall on the same day and count as a single rest day. Compared with other cities, Bologna therefore has one holiday fewer in the year. Some company agreements may provide compensation: check yours.
San Petronio, the basilica and Piazza Maggiore
San Petronio was bishop of Bologna in the 5th century; the basilica on Piazza Maggiore, one of the largest churches in Italy, with its façade left unfinished, is dedicated to him. On 4 October the city celebrates its patron saint in the basilica and in the square. Since 2026 the date has coincided with the national feast of St Francis of Assisi, introduced by Law 151 of 2025: a rare case among regional capitals, which sets Bologna’s calendar apart from the rest of Italy. People working in the city therefore have the same number of holidays as in a town without a patron saint, one fewer than in Milan, Naples or Turin.
Source: Feste Petroniane, il programma delle iniziative per la ricorrenza di San Petronio - Archivio notizie (municipal website, read on 28 October 2026). National holidays are those in Law 260 of 1949.
Long weekends 2027 in Bologna: using 8 leave days
Long weekends 2027 in Bologna: using 8 leave days
20 days off
| Fri 1 January – Wed 6 January | 2 → 6 days |
| Sat 27 March – Sun 4 April | 4 → 9 days |
| Sat 29 May – Wed 2 June | 2 → 5 days |
Other towns are in the search on the patron saint page; the year's calendar with the patron saint marked on calendar 2027.