Customs and traditions also serve to strengthen the identity of a people. This is also the case in Buje, on the occasion of the feast of San Servolo, the patron saint of the city. No folklore and village festivals; what characterizes this festivity is above all the religious nature of the event.

For the occasion, the local Italian community involved the students of classes VI A and VI B of the SEI “Edmondo de Amicis” in workshops, where through quizzes and games, the students, guided by the president of the association Lena Korenika, had the opportunity to learn about the traditions of the town and the history of the patron saint. The idea was to illustrate the difference between past and present liturgical rituals, through texts specially prepared by the Buiese history expert Marino Dussich. “We divided the students into groups and, after discussing the customs related to our protector, they had to identify the traditions still in force – explains Lena Korenika –. I must say that the students had excellent intuition and got almost all the answers right. Then obviously, those from Buie knew something more, but I am pleased that the others also learned something about our history”.

Over the weekend, the local Upa organized the second-hand market “Bujak”, where people had the opportunity to give new life to old clothes and objects, but also to try the techniques of exchange and barter. Next to the stalls, an inflatable was set up for the joy of children, who with their vivacity helped to bring joy to an already festive day. Among the various stands, the one of the CI of Buje could not be missed, with a rich offer of sweet delicacies prepared by the tireless members and supporters.

The celebrations reached their peak on Sunday morning, when the religious procession, opened by the brass band of the local association, filled the streets of the historic center. The statue of the patron saint was carried on the shoulders of some members of the Volunteer Fire Brigade from the church of the Madonna della Misericordia to the cathedral of San Servolo. The children of the First Communion and the banners with the religious symbols of the city engraved on them were unmissable. As per tradition, the parish priest blessed the fields below and, together with the faithful, prayed for the fertility of the soil. The liturgy took place in the main church, concelebrated by the priest Alejandro Castillo Jimenez, rector of the seminary “Redemptoris Mater” of Pola and the parish priest Marcin Madej. It concluded with a banquet, set up in the square dedicated to the patron saint, which welcomed all the faithful to celebrate the anniversary together.

Nicole Mison
Source: The Voice of the People – 28/05/2024