Pistoia, July 1, 2024 – The city is preparing to begin the celebrations in honor of San Giacomo il Maggiore, patron saint of Pistoia. In the late afternoon today, Monday, July 1st, starting from 7 pm, opening parade of the Jacobean celebrations. The procession will move from via Roma to reach, through the city streets, the Melani stadium, where at 9.30 pm the final of the football district tournament (seniors) between Cervo Bianco and Grifone will be held. The parade route The route starts from Via Roma, continuing along Via Cavour, the Globo, Via Buozzi, Via Curtatone and Montanara, Via Bozzi, Piazza San Francesco, Corso Gramsci, Via dei Pappagalli, Via dei Macelli and Via dello Stadio, up to the Melani stadium.
The parade will be divided into two sections: the folkloristic part and the historical part. Many city sports clubs will participate in the first, lining up and they will parade with their own district. The historical section will see the figures of the Citizens’ Committee and the four districts (Cervo Bianco, Grifone, Leon d’Oro and Drago) cross the city together with the historical groups of the province of Pistoia. The procession will be opened by the Municipal Band of Pistoia, which will accompany the Gonfalone of the Municipality and the city institutions. The figures of the four districts, together with flag-wavers and drummers, in their medieval clothes, will animate the streets of the center. The procession will be followed by: some members of the Bear Company, of the Giostra dell’Orso citizen committee, of the four historical districts and many historical groups in the area. He will close the Filarmonica Borgognoni. Once at the Stadium, it will be possible to watch performances by athletes from some sports associations.
“The Giostra dell’Orso is, for the city of Pistoia, a long-awaited, heartfelt moment of great importance – underlines Alessandro Sabella, Councilor for Tourism and Jacobean Celebrations –. We celebrate our patron saint, Saint James, who is also the patron saint of pilgrims around the world, and who brings with him a path that sees us engaged in the theme of pilgrimages and the valorization of Pistoia, the “Santiago d’Italia”, as a crossroads of paths. With great pleasure, in recent years, we have noticed an approach to the Giostra by foreigners, so much so that the first requests this year come from by Spanish and Dutch tourists. Tourism linked to interest in historical reenactments is being strengthened. For all this, thanks go to the Citizens’ Committee for the work carried out in collaboration with the administration”.
The Jacobean celebrations continue with the “dressing” of San Jacopo, Tuesday 16 July, to continue with the trials of the Giostra dell’Orso on 22 and 23 July. At 9pm on July 24th the procession from Piazza San Francesco to the Cathedral of San Zeno. The districts will parade with the four banners of the colors that distinguish them, carried on the wagon decorated with shields and rosettes. At 9.30 on July 25th, candle procession and costume parade along the streets of the historic center. Solemn Vespers in the Cathedral at 5:30 pm. The historical procession will follow with participants in medieval costumes, the Gonfalone of the Citizens’ Committee, the Compagnia dell’Orso and the jockeys who will participate in the Giostra. In the evening, at 9 pm, in Piazza del Duomo, Giostra dell’Orso. The race will be preceded by the costumed procession, which will parade through the streets of the center.
