News Release
You are viewing ARCHIVED content published online before January 20, 2025.
Please note that this content is NOT UPDATED, and links may not work. For current information,
visit https://www.nps.gov/aboutus/news/index.htm.
NPS Photo Bill Fischer
Subscribe
 |
What is RSS
|
Contact: Bill Fischer, 570-340-5244
“Race of the Saints Express” Steamtown National Historic Site Train Excursion to Jessup PA, Saturday, May 25, 2019SCRANTON, Pa. – Steamtown National Historic Site invites the public to hop aboard a train excursion to Jessup PA to witness a passionate celebration of heritage and pride that traces back to Old World Italy! Steamtown NHS’s “Race of the Saints Express” departs the site at 3:00 pm on Saturday, May 25, with a return to the park after 8:30 pm.
With hundreds cheering from the streets, and supporters jockeying for position, the “Race of the Saints” may not be the Run for the Roses, but it has just as much energy! Passengers arriving in Jessup aboard the “Race of the Saints Express” will note homes decked out with yellow, blue, and black banners, and the streets filled with exuberant revelers brightly bedecked in those same colors! Why one asks? Because the Saint Ubaldo Society annually renews a tradition brought to the Lackawanna Valley more than 100 years ago by immigrant families from Gubbio, Italy.
To counter the grueling work in area coal mines and to remember fondly their homeland, la Festa dei Ceri was introduced in 1909 as a “guiding light of hope” that helped unite subsequent generations of Italian-Americans with the land they left behind. The story goes back centuries to when Ubaldo Baldassini, aged Bishop of Gubbio, single-handedly saved the town in 1155 from destruction at the hands of northern invaders. Some townspeople placed Ubaldo on an elevated platform that was raced throughout the town to reassure inhabitants of Ubaldo’s safety and that the town would not be sacked. Thus began the Gubbio tradition that crossed the ocean to become a beloved Jessup tradition. Canonized as the “Protector of Gubbio,” the celebration was later expanded to represent the broader Italian-American community, with Saint Ubaldo (Patron of Stonemasons) being joined by Saint George (Patron of Merchants) and Saint Anthony (Patron of Farmers) in la Festa dei Ceri.
Intrepid, energetic devotees carry the ceri (Italian for “candles”), large wooden spires topped with statues of Saints Ubaldo, George, and Anthony, in a procession that at times appears more like a frenzied race through the streets of Jessup, just as they still do in Gubbio, Italy. While it’s a time of friendship and fellowship in which participants are united by wearing red neckerchiefs, the bright yellow, blue, and black shirts representing each saint ensures a festive and competitive atmosphere! And despite the knowledge that Saint Ubaldo will always win the race (more properly, a respectful procession), it’s a day that brings the community together. So join in the celebration!
There’s also plenty of time while in Jessup to purchase and enjoy great fair food at the Firemen’s Carnival sponsored by Jessup Hose Company #2. Enjoying a train ride, fair food, and racing with the saints; what a great way to kick off the summer season! While the Race of the Saints is a priceless experience, taking the train isn’t. Steamtown’s “Race of the Saints Express” ticket prices are: Adults (ages 16-61), $24.00; Seniors (ages 62+), $22.00; Children (ages 6-15), $17.00, and Children to age 5, free (ticket obtained at fee booth). For more information or to make reservations via credit card, please call 570-340-5204.
Located in downtown Scranton, Pa., Steamtown NHS is open daily from 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. daily. From I-81 follow exit 185 (Central Scranton Expressway); then follow the brown and white signs to the park entrance at Lackawanna Avenue and Cliff Street (GPS: N 41.41, W 75.67). General park information is available by phoning (570) 340-5206 during regular business hours, or by visiting the park website anytime.
www.nps.gov/stea
About the National Park Service. More than 20,000 National Park Service employees care for America's 419 national parks and work with communities across the nation to help preserve local history and create close-to-home recreational opportunities. Visit us at www.nps.gov, on Facebook www.facebook.com/nationalparkservice, Twitter www.twitter.com/natlparkservice, and YouTube www.youtube.com/nationalparkservice.
Last updated: May 9, 2019