St. Ubaldo Wins Again

St. Ubaldo Wins Again

Since 1160, the residents of Gubbio have gathered on the eve of the day celebrating the town's patron saint, St. Ubaldo, for the Festa dei Ceri (www.festadeiceri.it). An expectant crowd gathers in the main square for the first important moment: the raising of the ceri (candles). Three teams of men in colorful costumes haul up three enormous wooden pillars, each one a tribute to the saint that protects their part of the town. Each of the pillars weighs nearly 900 pounds and is carried vertically with the aid of special frames.

After they parade up and down the streets, the main event begins: a race during which the teams carry the candles at breakneck speed to the top of Monte Ingino and the Basilica of St. Ubaldo. Running with the pillars is an honor, and locals vie for the chance to be one of the bearers, called ceraioli. Tradition often dictates which members of a family will participate. Teams accomplish the arduous task while surrounded by throngs of townspeople and visitors who come to absorb some of the fascinating, mystical emotion that defines the "race." Don't place any bets, though -- the pillar capped with St. Ubaldo always wins.

A note of caution: make sure you stand well back as the runnners pass, because they won't stop for anyone, unless they fall themselves, in which case the pillars come crashing down.