Luminara di Saint Ranieri – Pisa, Italy

Luminara di Saint Ranieri
Pisa, Italy

Around nine thirty on the evening of June 16^th, the eve of Saint Ranieri (patron saint of Pisa), the buildings along the Arno River are transformed into a fantastic fairyland setting. The architectural components of the surrounding buildings and the parapets along the river and bridges are illuminated with the flames of over seventy thousand lumini (small glass candle holders), while thousands of tiny candles float on the river. The tradition has been celebrated each year since Saint Ramieri was laid to rest in the cathedral in 1688.

Candles are placed on white wooden sticks and on window ledges, rooftops and balconies to create fanciful designs. The lumini don’t actually follow the lines of the buildings but are spaced in asymmetrical designs giving visual transformations to the city. Thousands of people come every year to marvel at the spectacle.

The Historic Regatta of Saint Ranieri occurs the next day, June 17^th, and dates back to the 13^th century. The Annals of Pisa record that the first regatta was held during the Palio of Our Lady of the Assumption in 1292. It wasn’t until 1635 that its rules were actually formalized, and in 1718, the tradition of holding the regatta on the feast of Saint Ranieri began.

The Regatta consists of four boats, each one representing a district of Pisa, S. Maria (white-blue), S. Francesco (white-yellow), S. Antonio (white-green), S. Martino (white-red). The crews must row against the current on a 1,500 meter-long stretch of the Arno. The boats are manned by eight oarsmen, one steersman and an additional man who, upon arrival at the finish line (actually a large boat anchored in the middle of the Arno), must climb a twenty-five feet long rope in order to grab the Palio (flag) of victory. The winners of these competitions receive prizes in kind, particularly animals – an ox, a sheep, a pig and a rooster.

According to tradition, the men of the last boat to arrive at the finish line are given a couple of geese while the onlookers shout insults at them.

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