Split Celebrates its Biggest Day – Feast of Saint Domnius

Feast of Saint Domnius in Split today (Photo: Split-Dalmatia County Tourist Board)

The centuries-old celebration of Saint Domnius (Sveti Duje) or the Feast of St. Domnius will take place in the Dalmatian city of Split today.

Every year on the 7th of May also marks the Day of the City of Split. Sudamja includes various events and festivities on the Riva as well as during the seven days around the Day of St. Domnius.

The waterfront in Split will again be packed today as thousands gather to celebrate the feast day of its Patron Saint.
Saint Domnius kicks off with a traditional procession from the Saint Domnius Cathedral, followed by a host of activities and concerts which will go into the evening.

(Photo: Vojko Basic/TZ Split)

This year, on the day of the celebration, 7 May, Chefs Association of Mediterranean and European regions (SKMER) together with the City of Split and the Tourist Board of Split organises the “Festival of Food and Drinks” at which free meals will be distributed to the citizens and visitors of Split. More than 4,000 delicious portions will be prepared.

Saint Domnius was a 3rd-century Bishop of Salona and was martyred with seven other Christians in the persecutions of the Emperor Diocletian. The tradition holds that Domnio came to Rome with Saint Peter and was then sent by Peter to evangelize Dalmatia, where he was martyred along with 8 soldiers he had converted.

(Feast of Saint Domnius)

Saint Domnius became the Split’s patron saint, and the city’s cathedral (the Cathedral of Saint Domnius) was built-in the mausoleum of Diocletian itself, the emperor who martyred him.