Long Live Sv. Vlaho!

The celebration of St. Blaise (Sv. Vlaho) has been held continuously every year since 972. According to legend, that year the saint, with a “heavenly army”, protected Dubrovnik from the Venetians, who stopped outside the port of Dubrovnik under the pretext of needing provisions to extend their journey East. That night St. Blaise and his army appeared in a vision to the priest Stojko, and warned him that the Venetians would soon invade the city. Stojko notified the Councilors of this emergency, and the city was successfully defended.

Since then, St. Blaise has been the patron saint of Dubrovnik, and St. Blaise Day is the city’s saints day. Portrayals of St. Blaise can be found in all the important places in the city, on the flags of the Republic of Dubrovnik, on all state buildings and in the churches. St. Blaise is always depicted as a saint carrying the city of Dubrovnik in his hand. Therefore, it is said that “all cities have their patron saints, only St. Blaise has his own city”. The Day of Sv. Vlaho is celebrated on February 3rd, and is considered to be the “festival of festivals”. The festival itself has been under the protection of UNESCO since 2009.

The Festival is a central annual event in Dubrovnik, where all residents from the areas of the old Republic meet to pay their respects to the city and the Saint. During the Republic, the Dubrovnik authorities introduced the “Freedom of Sv. Vlaho”, by which convicts and fugitives were not persecuted for two days before and after the Festival, allowing them to peacefully enter and leave the city while “freedom” lasts.

The Festival protocol includes state and church rules and folk customs. Thus, in addition to state ceremonies and church mass celebrations, the main organizers of the Festival are of the people, represented by the so-called festanjuli. Every year, two festanjuli are chosen to organize the Festival down to the smallest detail. One comes from the ranks of craftsmen, and the other from the ranks of sailors. Being chosen as a festanjul is the greatest honor for any resident of the Dubrovnik region. It is a source of pride for both his family and his native region, because festanjuli are chosen from the ranks of the most exemplary and respectable people.

The elections usually take place in December so that the festanjuli and their families have time to prepare. Before the Festival itself, they write a “Proclamation” which they personally put on all doors of churches in the Dubrovnik region. While visiting these villages, community meetings are organized where they invite everyone to the Festival and promote the festival program. Festanjuli are easy to recognize in their formal attire. They have black suits, black hats and white scarves over their coats.

The people of Konavle were honored both this year and last year because one of the festanjuli was chosen from Konavle. In 2024, Mr. Pero Baletić was the sailors’ festanjul, and this year’s craftsmens’ festanjul is Mr. Mijo Deranja, both from Gruda. At the central ceremony on the Day of Sv. Vlaho, they participate in all the events of the Festival.

The celebration of St. Blaise opens the day before, on Kandelora or Candlemas, which is on February 2nd. On the terrace of the church of Sv. Vlaho, the former festanjuli, ministers, clergy and bishops gather and read the “Laus” prayer. After that, congratulations are read from all over the world, and then girls in traditional costumes present gifts from Mother earth, including two doves. The bishop takes the doves and releases them. Everyone looks to the sky where the doves will fly away, and hope for peace.

With the singing of the hymn of St. Blaise, a flag is raised on Orlando’s Pillar and the Festival is considered open. After that, the people gather in lines, enter the Patron’s church where they leave their prayers, and the priests start the ceremony of “blessing of throats”. During this sacrament, priests put two crossed candles on both sides of each person’s throat, praying to St. Blaise to keep the person healthy from diseases. Everyone attends this ceremony, especially children, because St. Blaise is the patron saint of all throat diseases. Then in the church, the nuns offer blessed cookies to the children. Everything is festive and joy reigns in the city.

After the Festival has opened, in the evening the city authorities organize a protocol Dinner of Candelora hosted by the mayor. Guests who have contributed to the city in any way, church dignitaries and high government officials are invited to this festive dinner. It is a great honor for everyone who is part of the Candelora Dinner of the celebration of St. Blaise.

On the opening day Konavle residents do not come to town. In the houses of Konavle, the final preparations are being made for tomorrow's departure to the Festival; shirts are ironed, new embroidery is sewn on, womens’ headdresses are starched. The next day, already at dawn, processions of people start moving towards the City.

On Sv. Vlaho Day, church bells announce from 6 o’clock in the morning the beginning of festivities. Brass bands, festanjuli, trombunjeri (gunners) and flag bearers gather at Pile Gate in Old Town.

Guns are fired (types of blunderbusses), and the flag bearers, as they enter the city, present their flags in front of the statue of St. Blaise to greet and honor him. Holy mass starts at 10:00 in the Cathedral, and after the mass the procession through the city starts, which is the central event of the Festival.

First in the procession is the flag (banner) of St. Blaise, followed by all the previous festanjuli. This is best viewed from Stradun, the main street of Old Town. On the right are the sailors, on the left, the craftsmen. Then come the city flags, then the parish flags and then a large number of Konavle flags, from Mrcine, Stravča and Duba, Vitaljina, Gruđa, Čilipi, Pridvorje and all others. The people of Konavle come to the Festival early in the morning in their best clothes. Those who carry flags of their fraternities and parishes must wear Konavle ceremonial costumes. Thus, with their appearance, they give the Festival a special significance. Each banner has an entourage that walks behind it, usually residents of that parish or members of the brotherhood, most of whom are in Konavle dress. In Konavle, the number of people participating in the procession increases every year, dressed in their costumes. Thus, the people of Konavle are the most numerous in the procession, and make a special contribution with their appearance.

After the Konavle people come the people of Primorje, the people of Pelješac and the islanders, followed by Festival guests from other regions, and the gunners. After the banners, the clergy, nuns and first communion girls with palm branches, follow the Capitular cross in the procession. Priests carry relics of St. Vlaho, followed by Jesus’ diaper (another relic) under a canopy. At the end of the procession, the relics are returned to the main altar of the Cathedral, and everyone congratulates each other with “Živio Sv. Vlaho!” (Long live St. Blaise!).

Lunch follows, traditionally at a relative’s place in town. A typical dish that is prepared in the city on this day is sporki macarouli. Immediately after lunch, people return to Old Town because at 3 o'clock the flags are raised again in front of the Cathedral. Flag bearers will demonstrate their povijanje (flag waving skills) in front of a large audience, and the best will be greeted with applause. After the demonstration, many will visit the sajam (fair) in progress, while others will stay in the city. That's when the town raffle begins, which has been played since the 19th century in front of the city bells. The game is followed by the crazy custom of throwing oranges and eggs at the one who reads the raffle numbers.

Before night falls, the inhabitants of Konavle begin to return to their homes. In the annual cycle of festivals and holidays, St. Blaise is the only festival that the people of Konavle celebrate outside of Konavle. And so it has been for centuries.