Festa dei ceri

The Festa dei Ceri of Gubbio is one of Umbria's most fascinating and evocative events, a celebration with roots stretching back to the Medieval period that comes alive every year on May 15th through the streets of this ancient city. During this extraordinary festival, three enormous wooden candles (structures standing approximately 4 meters tall) are carried in procession through the historic center's streets to the Basilica of Sant'Ubaldo, hoisted onto the shoulders of groups of citizens divided by their neighborhoods. The spectacle is made even more moving by the crowds accompanying the procession, traditional songs, and the atmosphere of devotion that characterizes the entire day.

Each candle represents one of Gubbio's three historic confraternities and is dedicated to a patron saint: Sant'Ubaldo, San Giorgio, and Sant'Antonio Abate. The competition to carry the candles is not merely a physical challenge, but a genuine moment of community cohesion where tradition, spirituality, and civic pride intertwine. Preparations begin well before the festival itself, with the artisanal construction of the structures and the training of the competing teams.

Participating in the Festa dei Ceri means immersing yourself in a tradition that has endured for centuries, bearing witness to Umbria's cultural and spiritual richness. It is a unique opportunity to understand how local communities keep their historical roots alive and to appreciate the value of Italian popular heritage. The festival represents a symbol of local identity and an intangible cultural asset of extraordinary value.