Festivity of Saint Blaise, the patron of Dubrovnik

Festivity of Saint Blaise
Festa Svetog Vlaha
Release of doves in front of Dubrovnik Cathedral
Date(s)February 3
FrequencyAnnual
Location(s)Dubrovnik, Croatia
Inaugurated972
Festivity of Saint Blaise, the patron of Dubrovnik
CountryCroatia
Reference00232
RegionEurope and North America
Inscription history
Inscription2009 (4th session)
ListRepresentative

The Festivity of Saint Blaise, the patron of Dubrovnik (Croatian: Festa Svetog Vlaha, zaštitnika Dubrovnika) is a festivity organized on February 3 continuously since the year 972 AD in the City of Dubrovnik, Croatia on the occasion of the celebration of Saint Blaise's day. The festivity is based on the legend of the appearance of St. Blaise, who helped the people of Dubrovnik in defending their town against the Republic of Venice. It is attended by many people, including residents of the city, surrounding areas, other parts of Croatia, and neighboring countries, tourists, and representatives of state and local authorities of the Roman Catholic Church.[1] It was recognized as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2009.[2][3]

The Croatian Ministry of Culture describes the festivity with these words: "Besides the spiritual significance, Festivity in particular forms social relations and rules as well as the quality of government. The Festivity as an expression of worship of a saint marked the whole culture and partly natural area of the City and the surrounding area, and through the participation of individuals and groups from other places in the country as well as those from neighboring countries, encourages intercultural dialogue."[4]

Since 2014, Matica hrvatska's Brussel's branch organizies Festivity in Brussel.[5]

  1. ^ "Saint Blaise festivity - Dubrovnik's Day". Tzdubrovnik.hr. Retrieved 2016-02-24.
  2. ^ "Festivity of Saint Blaise, the patron of Dubrovnik - intangible heritage - Culture Sector". UNESCO. 2015-11-30. Retrieved 2016-02-24.
  3. ^ "Festa sv. Vlaha". registar.kulturnadobra.hr (in Croatian). Retrieved 2022-11-05.
  4. ^ "Ministarstvo kulture Republike Hrvatske - KULTURNA BAŠTINA - Nematerijalna kulturna baština - Nematerijalna dobra upisana na UNESCO Reprezentativnu listu nematerijalne kulturne baštine čovječanstva - FESTA SVETOGA VLAHA, ZAŠTITNIKA DUBROVNIKA". Min-kulture.hr. Archived from the original on 2020-04-22. Retrieved 2016-02-24.
  5. ^ "U Bruxellesu održana jubilarna 10. Festa svetoga Vlaha". matica.hr (in Croatian). Matica hrvatska. 2 February 2024.