Sagra di San Giovanni

The tradition was born of a legendary apparition of Saint John as a pilgrim in 1435. Every year on the Sunday immediately following the day of St. John, the peoples of the surrounding lands on the island bring the relics of the martyrs, who now stay in the parish church, from the island to the land.

They were brought to safety in 1169 when the soldiers set fire to the island Como. The relics, placed in an urn supported by the archpriest and accompanied by fellow cloaked in red, are ferried to the island on a boat decorated, while the festive crowd follows with multitude of boats lining up with unique procession up to the ruins of the Romanesque basilica St. Euphemia.

The festival is characterized by big fireworks and musical show on the island Comacina, the reenactment of the battle, the pilgrimages on the island, various religious celebrations and the Lucie regatta around the island (typical boat of Lake Como).