San Lucchese in Poggibonsi!

If you are lucky enough to stay in Poggibonsi on 27 or 28 April, you can participate in the famous San Lucchese festival!

The city dresses up to celebrate the patron saint of the city, San Lucchese, who became a saint thanks to a life inspired by values ​​such as simplicity, faith and help towards others.

After a military career, which had led him to take part in the factional struggles that upset Tuscany, Memmo di Filippuccio, born in the Poggibonsese faction of Gaggiano around 1181, had approached religion and had begun to follow the precepts of Francesco d ‘Assisi, becoming a fervent follower.

On April 28, 1260 Lucchese and Buonadonna, his wife, united by love on earth, were called on the same day to be part of the heavenly Church. The wife, nailed to bed by fever, begged her eighty-year-old husband, who was already ill, to bring their confessor friar ldebrando and they both died a few hours apart. A miracle occurred at the funeral because, despite the violent downpour, the rain did not wet the coffins or the people.

The day in his honor, in addition to giving joy to its citizens, ends with the highly anticipated fireworks show.

But what makes this event unique and unmissable is the importance of its eve, namely April 27th. According to tradition, in fact, children and young people divided according to the districts of the city, accumulated large piles of wood collected in the previous days in the squares, with the aim of creating the largest and highest one to then light it and enjoy the warmth in the happy and common expectation the next day.