If there’s one day to choose when Dubrovnik is more beautiful than usual (and yes, it really is possible) it’s the feast day of St. Blaise. Who is the patron saint of Dubrovnik?
Who is the patron saint of Dubrovnik?
St. Blaise, bishop of Sebaste in Armenia, tortured and killed during the reign of Emperor Diocletian, became patron saint of Dubrovnik in the 10th century. According to legend, he appeared in the dreams of Stojko, the cathedral’s priest, and warned him that the Venettians, whose ships anchored near the island of Lokrum, were preparing to attack the city during the night. After the Senat had carefully studied Stojko’s account, Saint Blaise was proclaimed patron saint of the city.
Saint Blaise is to Dubrovnik what Saint Mark is to Venice
The church of Saint-Blaise
His effigy, carved in stone, could be seen on all Ragusan fortifications, above all city gates, and on the flag of the Republic of Dubrovnik. All official seals, as well as coins minted in the Ragusan mint, bore the effigy of the bearded bishop with his mitre and episcopal staff.
A curiosity about Saint Blaise – in the days of the Republic, prisoners not considered dangerous were released seven days before and seven days after the festival. There was also the custom of allowing those who had been permanently banished to enter the city.
The Saint-Blaise festival
The feast of Saint Blaise is celebrated every year on February 3. This great popular festival, to which local people flock in picturesque national costumes, is known for its magnificent procession with the saint’s relics, as well as for all kinds of open-air fun and revelry.
The festival lasts seven days, but preparations begin months earlier. Because of these few days, women tirelessly help their grandmothers to sew new folk costumes. Since Dubrovnik has no birth rate problems, every year more and more babies stroll through the city dressed in traditional folk costumes from their region.
From far-flung corners of Dubrovnik, believers arrive in the old town to pay their respects to its patron saint, St Blaise.
Kandelora, zima fora!
The procession to the feast of Saint-Blaise
The feast of St. Blaise begins on February 02 with the feast of Our Lady of Kandelora (Candlemas). Dubrovnik women repeat the old folk saying: “Kandelora, winter’s gone, St. Blaise follows, saying it’s all a lie”.
Indeed, on this day, when mainland cities are bathed in rain and the target of snow, Dubrovnik is filled with mimosa, daffodils and sunny days – in other words, real spring days.
The locals try not to let the Dubrovnik festival pass them by. If they are unable to attend, the people of Dubrovnik are truly sad, and send greetings from all over the world to their patron saint and the city. The Bishop of Dubrovnik reads out their greetings in front of the Church of St. Blaise.
Afterwards, he releases the white doves in front of the saint’s church. Legend has it that the direction in which the doves take off heralds war or peace in the city.
Believers pray all day in front of the altar, while priests bless them with two candles intertwined in a cross, and carry a silver monstrance made by Dubrovnik silversmiths.
The festivities continue with the Kandelora dinner at Fort Revelin. The mayor’s guests are people from politics and business important to the city of Dubrovnik.
The glorious feast of Saint Blaise
On the feast day, believers dressed in traditional costumes wear the insignia of their churches, and on arriving in front of the church they greet the patron saint in a special way, taking care to fold the banners so that the cloth does not touch the ground. In the morning, a procession of priests and believers sets off from the Cathedral of the Assumption, then down “Od puča” street. On this occasion, the sacred powers are carried, the Byzantine crown of Saint Blaise, the relics of his hands and feet, the sacred monstrance, then the swaddling clothes of Jesus.
During the procession, Stradun, the main street, is painted in bright colors, with traditional costumes from the Littoral, Dubrovnik parish or Konavle municipality. It’s as if the traditions of yesteryear have returned. Attention is drawn by the colors of the banners, their unfurling on the square behind Orlande and by the group of trombunjeri, who carry on their shoulders short, broad rifles whose sound, long ago, had frightened the enemies of Dubrovnik’s inhabitants. They fire salvos before entering the city, on Brsalje, and in the old port – the two entrances to the city.
National costumes
Why do we throw away oranges?
The children are very happy because candy is sold at the little market on the feast day. In the afternoon of the feast day, the lottery is held in Stradun. When people aren’t happy with the numbers – they throw wild oranges at the sign.
The women love this festival because it’s the day when they’re at the fashion show, and the main street is a catwalk where everyone admires each other in their clothes. It’s the day to say haute couture – sorry, but not today.