The ancient town of Gubbio in the Umbria region is filled with medieval spirit and plenty of historical occasions and festivals. One of the most well-known and visited of these festivals is Festa dei Ceri (Race of the Candles), which takes place annually on May 15.
Race of the Candles (Gubbio Festa dei Ceri) History
This tradition was born in the second half of the 12th century in honor of the death of Ubaldo Baldassini, the medieval bishop of Gubbio. The Commune decided to commemorate the patron saint of the town with a sacred and mysterious procession in which the few men of the city carry big wax sticks through the streets towards the Basilica of Mount Ingino.
Festival Ceremony and Traditions
Today, the Gubbio Festival is still celebrated in the same way as the iconic candle race or Corsa dei Ceri. Still, the original candles have been replaced by three giant wooden structures. The new candles are really impressive, with small statues of St Ubaldo, St George, and St Anthony on top. According to tradition, only men can carry Ceri by wearing traditional costumes. Even their shirt color depends on the Saint they represent—blue for San Giorgio, yellow for Sant’Ubaldo, and black for Sant’Antonio.
The main participants of the event are ceraioli and ceraiolo. It is a great honor for a Gubbio resident to bear this title, which was once passed down from father to son. Today, this tradition of participant election still endures, but it is embraced more openly in Cero. Women, in turn, only actively support the tradition but do not participate in this activity.
The festival's events run on May 15, but the celebrations begin on the first Sunday in May. This marks the prelude to the festival, as candles are ceremoniously returned to the city, carried horizontally down from the Patron Saint's Basilica atop Mount Ingino.
The procession starts early in the morning with drums beating, meaning it's time to remove the statues of the Saints from the church of St Francesco della Pace. The Alzata (rising) of the candles then begins in front of excited visitors, leading to the official start of the race. Overall, this is an impressive and stunning occasion that truly transports you to the Medieval Ages.
