Just Let Me Go Wild in Gubbio!

What a catharsis, those Ceri moments in Gubbio in May and on June 2nd. Living those euphoric moments with the eugubini, you understand why they’re affectionately dubbed “i matti dell’italia” (“the madmen of Italy”). And what joy to share in the madness. The crazed exuberance ignites all right from the first Sunday in May when the three beloved Ceri return to the imposing medieval town hall, Palazzo dei Consoli, born in procession from the Basilica di Sant’Ubaldo on Monte Ingino, rising above Gubbio.

[lcaption]Gubbio’s Palazzo dei Consoli, 14th c medievals splendor[/lcaption]

[lcaption]From the Basilica di Sant’Ubaldo, view over Gubbio[/lcaption]

The three Ceri – of Sant’Ubaldo, San Giorgio and Sant’Antonio – will exit Palazzo dei Consoli on May 15th for the glorious mad race back up to the Basilica, la Corsa dei Ceri.

Other “Ceri moments”? Last Sunday in May when the teens lift their beloved Ceri:

…and finally, June 2nd, when the little ones star:

This first Sunday in May, I headed to Gubbio with my tour guests of the “Annesitaly Inside Umbria Celebration” – to share with them an INSIDE experience of Italian passione exploding in an Umbria festival. One guest, Sally, took these photos of me in a Gubbio medieval alleyway with sangiorgiari – who had just thrown me up in the air three times when they heard I too was a “sangiorgiaro!” She had wanted to video the upward flings but was too shocked, putting it this way: “Sorry to say I was so afraid they were going to drop you I turned my head and had a beautiful blur of the building! I could never work for a news station my eyes would be closed all the time!”

[lcaption]“Hey, you guys, you can’t throw an old lady up in the air!”[/lcaption]

Another group of celebrating sangiorgiari, singing their San Giorgio tribute song, were all ready to fling me up, too, as soon as they discovered I was an enthusiastic sangiorgiaro.
I protested other upward throws – and they settled for hugs and affectionately messing up my hair: