Feast of San Giovanni Battista

In the quarter Is Concias, which overlooks towards the countryside of Oristano, on the 24th of June occurs the Feast of San Giovanni Battista. It starts with a procession from the Basilica of Santa Giusta till arrive to the small chapel recently erected in honor of the Saint, close to which is celebrated the Saint Mess. At the end of religious services occurs the fair of stewed sheep. Probably, since the times of the Seventeenth century Black Death, which interested the whole island, a custom has remained impressed into the people of the country town: in the night preceding the feast, or better that one between the 23 and 24 of June, are lighted small fires upon which the younger have fun hopping on them. Anciently it wasn’t an enjoyment, and this has surely mutated the custom and has lessened the belief of this act. As clothes, animal and human plague-stricken corpses were burned into the flames, in order to eradicate the Black Death, and was custom make the rite to hopping on and over these flames and come out unhurt.. According to steady popular beliefs of the times, an act avoiding the contagion.