Copertino announces San Giuseppe festivities amid local funding debate

The town of Copertino has announced the schedule for the San Giuseppe patronal festivities, running from September 8 to 19, 2026. The celebrations are themed around the Franciscan Jubilee and the eighth centenary of the birth of St. Francis of Assisi. Religious events include a Novena from September 8 to 16, the translation of the patron saint's statue on September 16, and a solemn pontifical mass presided over by Cardinal Semeraro on September 18. The cultural program will culminate on September 19 with a concert by Nina Zilli.

In relation to these festivities, the political group Su la Testa - Liste Civiche has criticized the municipal spending of 101,000 euros for the celebrations. The group proposed that the municipality should instead allocate 80,000 euros as an extraordinary contribution to local farmers, who are reportedly facing their worst summer in history. The group argued that such a gesture would provide concrete support to a productive class in significant difficulty.