Feast of Saints Cosmas and Damian

The "May Feast" or "Feast of the Arm" held on the second Sunday in May is purely a festival of the Catholic community in Rijeka, which was held to ward off the drought of the land. In September, however, there are 3 days entirely dedicated to the event: On September 25, the main church is decked out with "u paratu," colorful cloth decorations, the saints are displayed on the central altar of the church for veneration and votive offerings from the faithful. Roma and Sinti people from all over Calabria arrive since dawn dancing tarantellas. On the first night of the vigil, devotees and pilgrims who have arrived pray and sing for grace, sleeping on the ground. On the morning of Sept. 26, the Roma and Sinti set out from the shrine to the mother church, dancing to the rhythm of the dance, where in the meantime they prepare to bring the saints out of the church. The community gathers in joy and jubilation, and to the sound of tambourines the procession of the two saints begins. There is then a fireworks display, and in the evening the second vigil begins. The feast concludes on the afternoon of September 27, the saints are carried in procession back to the mother church.