View Full Version : Corsa ei Ceri


fulvio
12-09-2007, 11:50 AM
The "Corsa dei Ceri" I think is possible to translate: "Run of Candles" is an old tradition in Gubbio near Perugia (Umbria), Some one say that this run is the older one folklore tradition in Italy.

STORY
we have the first cataloged run on 1160, we think first was a devotion to the bishop that was dead in this year, and after became a competition between district:

Every years on 15 may the day before the dead of the bishop "Ubaldo Baldassini" (the patron saint of Gubbio)

First time was a procession on "Monte Ingino" a mount where there is the tomb of the bishop.
The first years this procession was made whit Candles and every Years every time more bigs . On 1194 they became to use a sort of big candle made whit wood and for transport it we need many people.

an old pic of the CERI , end of 800http://www.ceri.it/images/storia/storia2.jpg

DISTRICS
San Giorgio
San Ubaldo
San Antonio

CERI
are made whit wood the height is 4,50 Mt plus a statue on top different for every "contrada" (district) the height of statue is 40 cm
the total tall is about 300 kg

http://www.ceri.it/images/figure/ceraioli.jpg

THE MATCH
first they need to make the "ALZATA" stand up the Ceri

http://www.ceri.it/images/programma/alzata.jpg

the road is 4 km and 300 mt and the plus part is on climbing the mount Igino.

the winner isn't arrive first but don't fall or to much oscillating the CERO.


the party is accompany by music and happy
at the start at the stand up of CERI there are Tamburini:
http://www.ceri.it/images/figure/tamburini.jpg

can found other images at
http://my.lifeinitaly.com/photopost/showgallery.php/cat/559

video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2TeQf6Dnxys

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zGeeCfA-ecs



Fulvio
il papà del forum pedana vibrante (http://www.lepedanevibranti.it)

autodafe
12-10-2007, 01:41 AM
Hi Fulvio, nice reportage!
The exact translation should be "Race of the Candles", but nevermind..;)
Wonderful "vintage" pictures you found! Where did you get those?

I have never been to this race, but if you know Gubbio and its *really* steep streets/alleys you can probably imagine how hard this race is....:eek: