The Race of the Saints

Once a year, we are treated to a reminder of our Italian heritage, when the town of Jessup celebrates La Festa dei Ceri (The Celebration of the Appearance) – also known as the Race of the Saints.

Jessup, PA, is a neighboring town of Archbald. My great grandparents would walk to Jessup to attend mass at the Italian Catholic Church, even though the Irish Catholic Church was only a few blocks away.

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Yes, this traditional festival was brought to Jessup in 1911 by Immigrants from Gubbio, Italy. True, it is not the festival of our home town of San Giovanni in Fiore, but it is the festival of our home land of Italia. It is a festival to remember our Italian roots. After all, the only two places in the world that hold La Festa dei Ceri is Jessup, PA, and Gubbio, Italy.

People spill into the streets as three teams run with 400-pound octagonal wooden prisms topped with a saint. The day celebrates St. Saint Ubaldo Baldassini (1085-1160).
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Bishop Ubaldo Baldassini saved the town of Gubbio, Italy, from the invasion of Frederick I of Northern Europe. Ubaldo met with Frederick I, outside the town of Gubbio and the meeting took longer than expected.

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Saint Ubaldo

The town feared the worse and chaos ensued. When Bishop Ubaldo arrived back in Gubbio, he wanted to quickly spread the news that he and the town were safe. He was placed on a platform (stanga) and was raced through the streets of Gubbio, for all to see. La Festa dei Ceri is the celebration of the appearance of Bishop Ubaldo in Gubbio.
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Saint Antonio

As time went by, St. George and St. Antonio were added to the festival. St. George is the patron saint of merchants and St. Antonio is the patron saint of farmers.
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Saint Antonio and Saint George

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The statues in the race are about 30" tall and are placed on top of bi-octagonal wooden prism (cero). The wooden prism sits on top of an "H" shaped platform (stanga). This platform rests on the shoulders of the runners (ceraioli).

Each statue is 15 feet high, weighs about 400 pounds, and is carried by ten ceraioli. The team captain, the Capodieci (Chief of 10), runs next to the statue and steers the group. There is one man at the front of the platform, one at the rear, and four on each side.

Each team wears a traditional outfit that corresponds to their saint. St. Ubaldo's team wears a yellow shirt. The team of St. George wears a blue shirt, and St. Antonio's team wears a black shirt. All teams wear white plants with a red kerchief (fazzoletto) and a red sash.

The St. Ubaldo Statue is the first statue in the procession, followed by St. George, and then St. Antonio. The statues were handmade in Gubbio and brought to Jessup in 1949.

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Please enjoy a few of my photographs from the Race of the Saints!

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