To mark the 1700 year anniversary of the martyrdom of St. Blaise, the Dubrovnik City Council has proclaimed 2016 the ˝Year of St. Blaise˝ in Dubrovnik.
This is yet another recognition of the importance of the patron saint of Dubrovnik, the City beneath Srdj Mountain, under whose auspices the City has been protected, and while resting in the palm of his hand has sailed through the centuries, both peaceful and not. He was always a beacon of hope for inhabitants of the City and the surrounding area. Worship of the patron saint is enshrined in the very being of people from this region, and the fact that 2016 will be the year of our patron saint obliges us to honour him with programs whose focus will centre on him – good old man Blaise.
The Festivity of St. Blaise has been part of UNESCO's intangible heritage since 2009, and taking place in the heart of winter, it is the central winter event of the City, remaining unique and unaltered for centuries. Candlemas Dinner, the Procession through the streets of the City, the Grand Masters and banners, mimosa flowers and the traditional dish of dirty macaroni (˝šporki makaruli˝) – all of this makes the Festivity of St. Blaise as unique as it is.
The Program of the Year of St. Blaise includes various manifestations, cultural events, concerts, exhibitions, lectures, and workshops, and is intended for all generations of people from Dubrovnik, as well as for all tourists and visitors who will become acquainted with the importance of St. Blaise through such programs. The visual identity chosen for 2016, the Year of St. Blaise, called ˝Saint Blaise + Dubrovnik˝, was designed by Made Milićević and Nora Mojaš, and according to the explanation given by the Judging Committee, it ˝most completely conforms to the propositions of the competition and the communication requirements of the project task, having in view the secular and spiritual dimensions of the anniversary˝.
Through song, word, music, and art, the people of Dubrovnik will honour their patron saint throughout 2016, both through religious and secular programs. The completely renovated interior of the Church of St. Blaise is another important contribution to the celebration of this great anniversary. Our desire is to share the Festivity of St. Blaise with the world, in its unchanged state and with the impact that it has had on generations of people from Dubrovnik, as well as the impact it has had on life overall in Dubrovnik.
2016 – THE YEAR OF SAINT BLAISE – programme