Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1922-07-20
STRANGE CEREMONY MARKS
OLD ITALIAN CELEBRATION
Pagan Ceremonials Work
Vigil at St, .UbaIdo-
nuaI Festival Is Condemn
ed by Two Popes

GUBBIO, Italy.-Scenes reminis-
cent of the days of tree worship
back in the very dawn Of history,
have just been witnessed in this an
cient italian town.
Pagan ceremonials, connected with
the Vigil Of st. Ubaldo, which have
been condemned by two popes and
banned by Napoleon, were carried.
out with Bacchanalian fervor. !
1.-THE Elevation and Procession Of
the Candles" is the English name
of the festival which set ,Gubbio, one
Of the five Oldest towns in Italy,
afire with fcrvor.
At noon at the convent of Santa
Lucia there is a feast going on.
which is attended by the Ceraioli. or
candle bearers. All Cubic is await.
ing the proceedings he~n Aor as soon
as the white bloused. red-capped
Ceraioli finish eating, they rush out
into the courtyard where three huge
wooden obe1isk-like affairs are lying.
These are the so-called Cert, though
many think the name comes from
the goddess Of fertility, Ceres, in
stead Of from wax candles. Beside
them are huge wooden shafts or
frames. The outrush of Ceraioli re-
veals them in three distirot groups,
one bearing an inn % - st. Ubaldo,
the patron saint Of Cubic, and rep
resentin~ the stone r.neons: another
the image Of st. Gao~~n r~orosent-
ing the merchants, and third, St.
Anthony, carrv'r~ in his hand a ball
Of fire, represen4'~~ the '>6Hsants.
The deviation OF the Cert, which
are 'twe'1-o 800 in height, the ,plac-
ing of ~ ~ -~or. -, > -, acIes.
Is the great competition. The win
ner is, Of course, hailed with shouts
Of JOY. AS soon as the Cet are
raised, a jug Of water is poured over
each-the ancient lustration rite de-
scribed in the Engubine tablets be-
ing seen in this act. When the liba-
ton has been poured out, the jug is
thrown to the ground and broken
Then through the narrow streets
OF Gubbio, each taking a different
route, a mad rush begins. Already
the Ceraioli have been given plenty
"a WING Jul IlOW1 lOOhlIlS- OOWH d
medieval street before a picturesque
stone house. you may see the flut-
tering robes Of ST. Ubalgo swirling
before an ancient house. Three
times round goes the gyration,
which means that here is an offer.
ing Of wine to the Ceraioli.
For. several hours the Cert are
placed at the head Of the Via Dante
opd hn Holt -,
song and recreation. Then at YES
pers an interesting ceremonial, takes
place. 4ne big bell in the palace of
councillors announces that the arch
bishop in procession, with a banner
of st. Ubaldo, is leavings the cathe-
dral to give his benediction to the
Cert.
When the religious procession
reaches the Via Dante, the Cert have
been once more placed upon the
shoulders of the CeraioH. AS soon
as the benedictiion Is given, the c.
raioli, preceded and surrounded by
a huge corwd, rush from the Via
Dante into the Corso.
At the end of the street a stop
is made and wine is offered. Then
the. rush is made toward the Piazza
Grande, where three turns are made
before the mayor seated in a window
of the municipio. Once more the
Cert are taken on a wild run, this
time toward the commanding Mt.
Iguvio. Reaching the monastery at
the summit, the images are taken
from the Cert and huge obelisks
placed in their resting place till
next year.
In the dusk the Ceraioli descend
the mountain to a town illuminated
with myriad lights. They return
singing songs Of st. Ubaldo. and
carrying the images of the three
saints back to the church Of the
stone masons. The fiesta Is over
until next, year. r.