In Gubbio, Ceri Passione of the Little Ones

Key focus of the early May 10-day “Annesitaly Inside Umbria Celebration” is LIVING Umbria from “the inside,” knowing the people, experiencing their rural life, their festivals……and their passione. This tour centers on our four-day Calendimaggio medieval festival in Assisi but this year, the group’s free day was on the first Sunday in May, a landmark Sunday in medieval gem, Gubbio.

Gubbio, medieval hilltown gem

We all decided to head there together: impossible to miss the carrying down of the beloved Ceri from the Basilica di Sant’Ubaldo, perched on Mt. Ingino above the town like a protective lookout.

And on this first Sunday in May, the little ones star in a BIG way in Gubbio. They’re born through the town’s winding medieval backstreets on the three beloved Ceri, like esteemed royalty ensconced on sedan chairs

Their “subjects” walk along side of the three Ceri: fathers, older brothers, uncles, even grandfathers who will carry the thee Ceri on May 15th in a mad dash up the mountain during the astonishing Corsa dei Ceri.

Teen-aged brothers will run the slightly smaller Ceri Mezzani at the end of May.

Ceri Mezzani are carried by the teens, end of May

When does Ceri passione start in Gubbio? As toddlers in strollers, in parents’ arms or on Papa’s shoulders at all the highly-charged springtime Ceri events. And they’ll already be wearing either a yellow shirt for Sant’Ubaldo, royal blue for San Giorgio or black for Sant’Antonio…

And that passione will peak when the child “lifts” the Cero onto his back…finalmente. The first time to run a Cero can take place at age 6 and on June 2nd each year, I Ceri Piccoli are run up the mountain by the little ones (ages 6 – 14) in the same mad race as the teens end of May and adults on May 15th, mini-Ceri on their shoulders.

Si! In Gubbio, Ceri passione ignites at an early age – and just never burns out…

We felt it on that early May Sunday, sharing in Ceri passione of the eugubini as the Ceri arrived in the 14th-c medieval city hall. The three Ceri – of Sant’Ubaldo, San Giorgio and Sant’Antonio – will exit only on May 15th when la passione explodes for la Corsa dei Ceri.
But we had a good taste of that Ceri passione in early May……