St Ubaldo Day 2015: Shuta Multimedia Vlog Episode 132

Wednesday, 27 May 2015 02:06 |

Written by Vincent J. Shuta Jr. |

Dim lights Embed Embed this video on your site

This Episode shows highlights from the 2015 St Ubaldo Day, AKA the Race of the Saints or La Festa Dei Ceri in Jessup, PA.

Background:

Every year, on memorial day weekend, La Festa Dei Ceri is celebrated in Jessup, PA. This festival celebrates the actions of Bishop Ubaldo Baldassini, who was canonized as St. Ubaldo. St Ubaldo rescued the town of Gubbio, Italy by talking Barbarossa out of sacking the town. Before he could return with the news, the town was overcome with fear and panic. Lacking CNN or any social networking sites, and with his health failing, Ubaldo needed a way to tell the town he was fine--in a hurry. So he had himself carried on a platform carried by young men from the town. They ran through the city, calming the population. In Gubbio, this event was reenacted by carrying a statue of St. Ubaldo along the same route. Later Statues of St. George and St. Anthony were added. When immigrants from Gubbio settled in Jessup, PA, they brought this tradition with them.

Thus, in Jessup, PA, the Saturday of the Memorial Day weekend is St. Ubaldo Day, and it culminates in the Race of the Saints.

Facebook Album

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10153288503177622.1073741866.177752017621&type=3