Gubbio, the Ceri’s big day between emotions and passion

GUBBIO – And let’s celebrate. Unique in its centuries-old script, an extraordinary people’s ritual where the race is competitive but not a race. The Ceri return like every 15th May with their load of enthusiasm and passion. Don’t look for a winner, you won’t find one today or ever. You come to Gubbio to experience a spectacular day. From dawn to late night you will see all the colors, from the dominant yellow of Sant’Ubaldo, blue of San Giorgio and black of Sant’Antonio. It is the day of Luigino Bei First Captain and Fabio Mariani Second Captain, with the Capodieci Francesco Morelli of the santubaldari, Simone Martini of the sangiorgiari and Enrico Provvedi of the santantoniari. The large bell, from the turret at the top of the Palazzo dei Consoli, will be the soundtrack for the Rise towards midday in Piazza Grande, restored with the new paving, to the phases of the race in the afternoon from 6pm along the city streets up to the hairpin bends of the Mount Ingino who carry the candles into the basilica. Last night the traditional “double” of the bell was the prelude to the late afternoon, the double ringing of the large bell of the civic tower and with it the mizzen and the small

The protocol

For the Ceri, the wait to be able to rejoin the Network of large shoulder machines which unites the traditions of Nola, Palmi, Sassari and Viterbo, from which Gubbio was initially self-excluded and then excluded, remains in vain for now. Mayor Filippo Mario Stirati yesterday signed a protocol with the president of the European University Center for Cultural Heritage, Alfonso Andria. This body operates in the sector of protection, conservation and enhancement of cultural heritage in terms of research, staff training, professional ethics and scientific consultancy. The Center and the Municipality recently collaborated in the creation of the round table «Intangible heritage and climate change», which took place in Ravello on 12 and 13 April as part of the Green Heritage project on the impact of climate change on intangible cultural heritage. In the protocol, the two parties undertake to create favorable conditions for the development of a collaboration aimed at carrying out activities for the promotion, valorisation and implementation of intangible heritage. The protocol also provides for collaboration for participation in any national and European tenders useful for the activation of projects.

The delegations

In Gubbio there are delegations from the twinned Jessup, the Pennsylvania city with which this year Gubbio celebrates twenty years of ties and which every year at the end of May revives the spirit and tradition of the Ceri even overseas, and Thann, linked in Gubbio by a deep bond in the name of the municipal patron saint Sant’Ubaldo of whom it houses a relic. Present were the Alpine troops from Livinallongo and a delegation from Sassari, the city of the descent of the Candelieri carried on the shoulders, and a delegation from England thanks to the commitment of the Gubbio Gemellaggi association.

The exhibition

The jugs that represent an important symbol in the Alzata dei Ceri are part of the tradition. «Author’s jugs» is the exhibition open until June 2nd at the Ceri «Enjoy & Share» Museum in via Baldassini number 1, on the initiative of the Maggio Eugubino association. This year is completely tinged with pink because the creation of the 2024 Brocche d’Autore has been entrusted to the Gubbio artists Giulia and Letizia Pedini, the Terni native Elisa Pietrelli and the international artist Chira Marta Monachesi.

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