Day of the City

The birds have been released and we are at the gates of the city. Everything is silent. The flags are still. The soldiers have their rifles and the children their toys and we are all dressed for the past and the meaningful. The road is lined with the faces of the religious and the curious and the proud, all turned in our direction. Priests guard the shroud of the god that died so that we might live. They will bless our throats and we will dance and laugh and cry and make our way home – freed and prepared to free.

The Festivity of Saint Blaise or Festa Svetog Vlaha takes place on 3rd February in celebration of St Blaise, who legend has it saved the city of Dubrovnik from being sacked by the Venitians in 972 AD.  

Images © Baldo Marunčić/HINA and  Grgo Jelavić/Pixsell