Ceri Festival (Ceri run) in Gubbio 
The Ceri Festival (or race of Ceri) of Gubbio takes place every
year in the month of May, on the eve of the patron saint's dead Sant'Ubaldo.
The Ceri are three enormous wooden structures, of 400 kg of weight each,
surmounted by the statues of Sant'Ubaldo, San Giorgio and Sant'Antonio.
These enormous machines are taken by hand from the historical centre of
Gubbio until mount Igino, were there's the basilica of Sant'Ubaldo. The
ceraioli (the people carring this statues) make this way running for more
than four kilometres. It's an exiting competition and the ceraioli are committed
in this wild run through the narrow streets of the city and in the tiring
climbing of the mountain, with the acclaiming crowd following them. This
run it isn't really a competition, but a tribute to the patron saint; the
Ceri in their run cannot overtake each other and must arrive in the same
order they started: Sant'Ubaldo, San Giorgio and Sant'Antonio. The aim of
the ceraioli is to make the run the best way they can, avoiding fallings
and fluctuations and as fast as possible. The first edition of the Festival
of Ceri was in 1160, year in which the bishop of the city Ubaldo Bassini
died. Since then, every 15 of May the population of Gubbio pays homage with
this festival, that starts in the morning with the first procession, the
parade, the elevation and the showing of the Ceri and that culminates in
the afternoon with the last procession and the run at 18:00 o'clock. The
Saturday before is a good day to toast an to get to know the people of Gubbio.
The Ceri Festival is a religious and popular event with very ancient origins
and a great emotional charge involving everyone takes part to it. Every
year a great number of tourists come to Gubbio for this unique event.
Visit the official website www.ceri.it
Eng.