Bari is preparing to welcome the most festive days of the year in honor of St. Nicholas, the city's revered patron saint. The celebrations will take place May 7-9, with a series of memorable events involving the entire community.
The start of the festivities was marked as early as April 20 with a striking procession organized to commemorate the 937th anniversary of the translation of the remains of St. Nicholas. This event kicked off the celebrations that will culminate in the main days of the feast.
The May 7 procession will leave at 8:30 p.m. from Piazza Federico di Svevia and will follow an evocative route through Via San Francesco d'Assisi, Piazza Garibaldi, Corso Vittorio Emanuele II, Largo IV Novembre, Lungomare Imperatore Augusto, Largo Papa Urbano II, and will end in Piazza San Nicola. A route through the city's most picturesque streets, offering participants an unforgettable experience during the festivities in honor of St. Nicholas.
May 8 will be devoted to the traditional sea procession and May 9 will mark theAnniversary of the Translation (1087-2024), with the Taking of the Holy Manna, a moment of great devotion and religious significance. The celebration will culminate on May 10 with the transfer of the statue of the Saint to the Cathedral followed by a majestic procession that will close the festival with great solemnity.
The celebrations in honor of St. Nicholas represent a time of deep spirituality and shared joy for the entire community of Bari, and are an opportunity to renew faith and devotion to the city's patron saint.
