Festa di San Cerbone

On the occasion of the Celebration of St. Cerbone in Massa Marittima, a historical procession in medieval costumes parades and the Trophy of St. Cerbone, a shooting competition with the “Ancient Italian Crossbow”, is held, with a performance by flag-wavers.

The day also includes a religious service that includes the two highlights of the event: the Censo and Cero ceremony, the handing over of the symbolic silver Census to the episcopal authority and the gift of the Candle, which commemorate precise and salient moments in Massa history. The handing over of the Census from the civil authorities to the ecclesiastical authorities commemorates the redemption of freedom from the feudal lord of Monteregio Castle to self-govern in the form of a Free Commune. The Feudal Lord who resided in the Monteregio castle was then, in 1225, Albert II Bishop-Count of the city of Massa. From that date the history of the Free Commune began.
With the ceremony of the Candle donated, with a sincere heart, to the Cathedral on the day dedicated to St. Cerbone we commemorate the reconciliation with Albert II no longer Count and feudal lord of the Massa people, but only Bishop, to whom the Massa citizens of that time, freed from temporal power, freely granted the care of their souls.

The program:

• Thursday, October 10
  3 p.m. - start of the procession from the historical Piazza Cavour
  3:30 p.m. - crossbow shooting competition in Piazza Garibaldi 
  4:30 p.m. - performance of the Flag-wavers and Musicians 
  5 p.m. - Ceremony of the Candle and Census in the Cathedral of St. Cerbone
• Sunday, October 13 
  crossbow shooting competition for young shooters, procession in medieval clothing (departure at 3 p.m. from Piazza Cavour) and performances of young Flag-wavers and Musicians