THE FESTIVITY OF ST. BLAISE

The Festivity of St. Blaise The life of St. Blaise and his celebration in Dubrovnik St. Blaise, the bishop and martyr, is the celestial patron of the town of Dubrovnik and of the Dubrovnik bishopric. He was born about year 260 in the Armenian town of Sebastia (today’s Turkish town of Sivas) in the region of Cappadocia. He acquired basic education in his native town and his higher education in the town of Caesarea (Cappadocia), cultural centre of that time. There existed already from the second century a Christian community headed by an archbishop. Most probably it was here, in Caesarea, that St. Blaise became better acquainted with Christianity. Generous by nature, he chose a generous and to his fellow humans close occupation of a physician. Upon return to his native Sebastia he diligently served the duties of his occupation and testified his faith by his life. In 302 the Sebastia bishop Mehrudin died and the Christian community needed a new one - the leader in faith. To general surprise, the priests and the believers unanimously elected for bishop not one of the priests but the physician Blaise. Since that was the period of Diocletian’s chase of Christians, Blaise opposed to that election: in his modesty he explained the reasons of his not being mature for such an honourable and responsible duty. However, the Christian community did not give up its proposal so he was left with no choice but to go to Caesarea and receive the consecration from the archbishop. The Constantine’s Edict from 313, by which Christians became equal citizens of the Roman Empire has not yet become effective in the far east of the state. In Asia Minor, depending on the Emperor’s governor the prosecutions increased and decreased in intensity, but never ceased. The generous bishop Blaise sedulously visited his believers: he helped the poor, cured the sick, fed the hungry and protected the chased. To the profane government, however, the devotion and the kindness of the bishop of Sebastia were disturbing and the Emperor’s governor in Asia Minor, Agricola was furious at the God’s man and saint bishop. He chased him, caught him and tortured him in most cruel ways. Martyred to death the beloved bishop, the doctor of soul and body, in 316 changed this worldly life for the other, eternal and heavenly. There is a legend known under the name St Blaise and the Vicar Stojko, connecting St. Blaise with Dubrovnik. Actually, in 971 the Venetians started with more than hundred ships towards Levant. With an excuse to take supplies in water and food before continuing, they stopped near Dubrovnik. During night while all citizens of Dubrovnik were peacefully asleep and the Vicar Stojko was praying in the church, there appeared to him an unknown figure of a white-bearded, old man who said: “I am St. Blaise, the bishop of Sebastia and a martyr. I have come, sent from Heaven, by the God to protect the city, to prevent – with my Heavenly army – the Venetians whom you received as guests, from taking you by surprise at night and attacking your city walls and conquer your and my town.” Further the vicar said that the old man sent him to the rulers of the town to tell them to get ready and prepare themselves to protect the town and in future to be more cautious and not let themselves be deceived by the nice talk of armed guests. Having recognised in that act a special fondness of the saint toward their town the citizens of Dubrovnik chose him for their celestial patron. In the year 972 they decided that 3rd February, the day of the martyr’s death, should become the day of his celebration in Dubrovnik. Since that decision and that year Dubrovnik has celebrated St. Blaise 1040 times on his holiday called „The Festivity of St. Blaise“. The festivity has ever since been the spirit of the town, and St. Blaise the patron saint of its inhabitants - primarily as a physician and wonderworker - curing from throat illnesses and all other evil, how they use to say in the prayer called grličanje (head laying between the two lit candles during blessing). The festivity is celebrated during several days with acts of devotion taking place in the church and entertainment in town. It starts with the solemn opening of the festivity on Candelora Day and ends at the Hill of St. Blaise on the first Sunday following 3rd February. The celebration is led by the bishop of Dubrovnik and organised by the rectors of the St. Blaise Church and the Cathedral. The Brotherhood of the Holy Sacrament actively participates in its organisation in the cathedral while a special contribution to the event gives the Brotherhood of festanjuls of St. Blaise, that prepares the working and aesthetic framework of the celebration. The festanjuls are the godfathers of the procession – citizens, a sea captain and a craftsman. Regularly the festivity is also joined by the city government and almost all of the parishes of the Dubrovnik bishopric with their church flags and flag-wavers in folk costumes. Since in a solemn procession along Stradun the richness and beauty of relics, Saint’s flags, church robes and folk costumes is most noticeable, the festivity has become well known throughout the Christian but also non-Christian world. Exactly for its richness and long tradition (more than 1000 years) it has been put on the UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Dubrovnik and all inhabitants of the city and bishopric are very proud of it and the bond between the citizens and Saint Blaise is best felt at the opening and closing ceremony when from the thousands of throats the exclamation is heard: “Long live St. Blaise!” Toma Lučić