STORIES FROM OUR HISTORY

The Procession at sea

This procession takes place once a year during the first week of September in celebration of the protectors of the city of Brindisi, St. Theodore of Amasea and Saint Lawrence from Brindisi. The ceremony began in 1776 as a cult to St. Theodore and was later extended to include Saint Lawrence, who was born in the city of Brindisi.

The procession of Saints Protectors in the inner port

The procession begins at the Aragon's Castle where relics and statues of the saints are paraded in boats all round the inner port. Many boats take part in this procession and from the port the statues are then paraded through the streets and taken to the cathedral.

The ceremony is in remembrance of the miracle of 1210, when the remains of St. Teodoro, a Roman soldier and martyr of the IV century at the time and killed in Aukat, Turkey, because of his faith in Jesus Christ, were taken to Brindisi. The sailors of this ship, realizing that they were being perused by the Turkish soldiers, put the remains of St. Theodore in a small boat that was brought by the sea streams to the harbour of Brindisi, where it was taken by some fishermen.

Today this remembrance is called "Palio dell'Arca" and the festivities end with a wonderful and artistic display of lights and fireworks.

Photogallery - Click on the thumbnails to enlarge
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Photo: 1 - Procession at the Cathedral square (historic photo) 2 - Procession at the castle (1972) 3 - Statue of St.Teodoro (1908) 4 - Statue of St.Teodoro 5, 6- Procession on the sea 7 - Fireworks 8 - Artistic Lighting

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