This Friday, February 3, locals in Dubrovnik will honour a tradition dating back more than 1,000 years, celebrating the miraculous defence of their city. The legend goes that in 972, St Blaise appeared to a priest while he was praying, and warned him of an imminent attack by the Venetians. Thanks to the saint’s premonition, Dubrovnik was able to fortify itself in time and successfully fend off the would-be invaders.
St Blaise duly became the patron saint of Dubrovnik. The day he appeared is marked by mass in the city’s churches, processions of Christian artefacts, as well as concerts, exhibitions and theatre performances. The dramatic centrepiece of the celebration is flag waving and gun salutes, designed to frighten off any other potential enemies.
The Festivity of St Blaise was added to the UNESCO list of intangible world heritage in 2009. For more details on the event, see the Dubrovnik Tourist Board page on the celebration.