Festa Sv. Vlaha

Dubrovnik’s patron-saint feast fills the old city with banners, relics, white doves, and processions in folk costume.

The Feast of St Blaise in Dubrovnik, a UNESCO-recognised tradition with grand processions in historical folk costume.

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Opens Feb 3, closes Feb 4 · 48 hours

what Festa Sv. Vlaha is

Festa Sv. Vlaha is Dubrovnik’s annual celebration of Saint Blaise, the city’s patron, held on 3 February, with formal opening rites on 2 February, Candlemas. The main setting is the historic centre, especially around the Church of St Blaise, the Cathedral, and Stradun. On the eve of the feast, the banner of Saint Blaise is raised and white doves are released in front of the church to mark the start of the celebration. Parish representatives from Dubrovnik and nearby areas arrive carrying ceremonial banners, many dressed in local folk costume. The tradition is so central to the city’s identity that UNESCO inscribed the Festivity of Saint Blaise of Dubrovnik in 2009.

On 3 February, the city wakes to bells and the appearance of the trombunjeri, ceremonial musketeers who fire salutes. A solemn Mass is followed by the main procession through the streets of the Old City. Clergy carry the relics of Saint Blaise, while banner-bearers from city parishes and surrounding villages move in an ordered line through Stradun and past the Cathedral. Many people receive the blessing of the throat with two crossed candles, because Saint Blaise is traditionally invoked against throat illness. Throughout the day, Dubrovnik’s stone streets are filled with church singing, formal greetings, and the sight of historical dress that makes the Festa immediately recognisable.

what you'll learn5 domains

The pack has 36 words spread across these domains.

Feast greetingsWords for wishing someone a happy feast day and greeting people you meet before Mass or the procession.

Day scheduleVocabulary for the opening on Candlemas, the main feast day on 3 February, and the order of events.

Ritual actsExpressions for the banner raising, release of white doves, blessing of the throat, and veneration of relics.

Old CityNames for the Church of St Blaise, the Cathedral, Stradun, and other key spots in Dubrovnik’s historic centre.

Folk costumeWords for historical dress, ceremonial outfits, and what banner-bearers and participants wear in the procession.

the run — three rounds, about three minutes, unlimited practice

Round 1 · MatchPair the word with its meaning. Six pairs, one attempt each.

Round 2 · SpellType the word you hear, accents and all. Beginners see the meaning and complete the word instead.

Round 3 · MeaningSix questions on what happens at Festa Sv. Vlaha and what it is called.

how scoring works

How you are ranked

1AccuracyEvery correct answer counts the same. Anything you leave unanswered counts as wrong.

2Time, only to break tiesTime is read only when two people have the same accuracy. It never beats a better score.

For example

1100%3:41Marta

2100%4:02Joan — same score, slower

397%2:10Núria — fastest, still third

Two separate boards

BeginnerAdvanced

Same words in both. Beginner gets more help: matching and completing. Advanced listens and spells it out unaided. Pick it in practice; it locks when you take the scored run.

One scored run

Practise as often as you like, all year. The scored run happens once, while the competition is open, and cannot be retaken.