St George’s Day and St John the Baptist’s Day in Ragusa
June 9, 2011
Spending a holiday in Ragusa also means taking part in the folkloristic events that take place in the city and that are very important for the people who live there.
Every Italian city is devoted to a saint, who is celebrated once in a year in a given day with religious masses, processions and other types of events. The peculiarity of Ragusa is that this beautiful Sicilian city is devoted to two patron saints (St John the Baptist and St George), which means that celebrations are doubled! If you wish to take part in these special and typical events, book Italian vacation packages in Ragusa and enjoy these celebrations!
St George’s Day falls at the end of May, which means that for this year the possibility to take part in this event has gone. However, you might be interested in learning something more about this feast, so that you can plan your Sicilian holidays for next year! First of all, St George is celebrated in a part of the city that is called “Ragusa Ibla”, and the celebrations in honour of St George include a procession to bring the statue of the saint around the streets of the city. The Church of St George is decorated with banners, lights and flowers, and all the devotees are given the chance to worship the statue of the saints, which is positioned in the middle of the church. Also streets are decorated, and celebrations include also music.
If St George’s day has already passed, you still have the chance to take part in St John the Baptist’s Day. The celebrations in honour of St John the Baptist, indeed, traditionally take place on the 29th of August in the upper part of the city. These celebrations are notably solemn: the statue of the saint is displayed on the central altar of the church and carried through the streets, and the day ends with a firework show. Do not miss this event: choose among the many hotels in Ragusa and enjoy these typical celebrations!
