Every year Lucca on 12th July Lucca celebrates one of
its Saints, San Paolino of Antioch. The question is, who is this saint and why
is the Patron Saint of Lucca? The legend says that San Paolino was a disciple
of Saint Peter and sent to Lucca to convert the population with a deacon, a
soldier and priest and supposedly become the city’s first bishop. His
companions names have been lost in time and nor is there any real evidence of
San Paolino himself, but in 1197 relics were found in the church of Saint George,
with a stone declaring them to be the relics of Paolino a holy martyr killed in
67 during the reign of Nero.
San Paolino’s sainthood however was
bestowed on him due an incident in 1622 when a cannon being fired in his honour
misfire and injured some pilgrims but because of his divine intervention there
where no serious injuries.
San Paolino is a very important date in
the cities calendar and celebrations include all the important traditions from
the city spanning several periods, dancing, flag throwing and most perhaps most
famous the crossbow competition.
Both locals and tourists enjoy
these delights. At the mass in the church of San Paolino, in his district of
the city offering are made. The feast not only serves to honour the saint but
is also a way to pass the old traditions through the generations. One of the
best parts for me is seeing kids as young as 6 throwing flags and cross
generations parading and beating drums together just as it has always been
done.
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