May 7, 2022 - On Saturday, May 7, Split celebrates its City Day, honoring Sveti Duje, Split's patron saint.  A look at Sudamja 2022!

A solemn mass began the celebration on the Split waterfront by the Apostolic Nuncio to Croatia, Monsignor Giorgio Lingua, and a procession was held, reports Jutarnji List.

The Minister of Culture and Media, Nina Obuljen Koržinek, and the Minister of the Economy and Sustainable Development, Davor Filipović, participated in the celebration as a delegate of the Prime Minister of the Republic of Croatia.

Numerous visitors from neighboring cities and municipalities and the island came to Split, and tourists also enjoy celebrating the birthday of the over 1,700-year-old city. Everyone agrees on one thing - Split is the most beautiful city to which they wish all the best in the next thousands of years.

The delegate of the Prime Minister, Minister Nina Obuljen Koržinek, wished all the citizens of Split a happy day, expressing satisfaction that they can celebrate Sveti Duje again after two pandemic years. 

"I believe that Sveti Duje will bring a good season, prosperity and everything we hope for. We are here on the Peristyle, the center of heritage. Split is a city that preserves its heritage, and I am glad that this segment of our common, spiritual church is preserved, and invaluable intangible heritage," stressed Obuljen Koržinek.

Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development Davor Filipović told reporters that he was happy to be in Split today, adding that his parents and brother live here and that a good part of his youth and some of the most beautiful moments of his life took place in Split. 

"Split is a city of rich tradition and heritage. I congratulate all the Split citizens on their city day and the patron saint Sveti Duje," said Filipović.

Former mayor Ivica Puljak wished his fellow citizens and guests a happy and pleasant holiday. He said that he was sure that Split would soon get a worthy mayor.

In addition to the traditional Fair on the Riva, which features 150 exhibitors from all over Croatia this year, the humanitarian swimming race "With a Heart for Little Heroes" started at 11 am, organized by the city's Public Fire Brigade. Split long-distance swimmer Dina Levačić and Lea Ćaleta, a police officer from the Airport Police Station and associate professor Darko Hren from the Department of Psychology at the Faculty of Philosophy in Split, swam from Kašjuni to Matejuška. Two necessary devices will be bought for KBC Split from the money collected in this humanitarian action.

After swimming, Dina Levačić said she was glad that Lea and Darko joined her. She noted that they started preparing for the race in the winter when the sea was colder, while today, the sea is 17 degrees.

"I hope we will encourage people to donate to this action because every kuna is welcome here," Levačić said.

A traditional raffle will take place on the Riva at 5:30 pm with the performance of mixed klapa Filip Dević, conducted by Tonči Banov this year, followed by the Tamburitza Orchestra of the Folklore Ensemble Jedinstvo Split with guests from Varaždin - Varaždin Tamburitza Orchestra and Klapa HRM Sveti Juraj.

The concert "Sveti Duje moj" will be held at 9 pm with Klapa Cambi Kaštela, Goran Karan and Grupa Vagabundo. The fireworks start at  11 pm, followed by Teddi Spalato and the Goran Rukavina Orchestra.

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April 22, 2022 - Sv. Duje celebrations return after two years to honor Split's patron saint, Saint Dominus. The City has announced a packed program for Sudamja 2022!

Thanks to the more favorable epidemiological situation, this year's Sv. Duje celebration, or Split City Day, will return to the old normal. The Sudamja 2022 program, adopted by this year's Celebration Committee, includes over thirty religious, cultural, entertainment, and sports manifestations. This year's laureates are well-known, who will be awarded prizes for their life's work and personal and group achievements in the past year at a ceremony at the Croatian National Theater in Split on May 6, the day before Sv. Duje.

The events related to Sudamja started on March 15 with the Ballot Tournament, organized every Saturday in the Split port, and ends on May 15 with a revival race of rowing legends Oxford, Cambridge, and Split in the City Port. However, the most intense events start on April 28, which is the beginning of the Novena in honor of Sv. Duje. From that day on, Holy Masses, sermons, and concerts of spiritual music will be held daily in the Split Cathedral until May 7, when after the procession from Perstil through Hrvojeva Street to the Riva, a Mass will be held on the Riva led by the Apostolic Nuncio to Croatia Giorgio Lingua.

Numerous KUD performances and other events are planned, organized by the Split Tourist Board, while much of the entertainment was taken over by the city company Žnjan d.o.o. The first program is on Marjan to mark International Labor Day, May 1, then the traditional Sudamja fair on May 6 and 7, and a concert on the waterfront on Split City Day, May 7, where Klapa Cambi Kaštela, Goran Karan, and Grupa Vagabundo will perform. After the fireworks, Tedi Spalato and the Goran Rukavina Orchestra will hit the stage. This year, the traditional raffle with the performance of the mixed klapa Filip Dević before the start of the draw will not be missed.

This year's classical music concerts include the string philharmonic of the Berlin Philharmonic at the Croatian Home in Tončićeva and a joint performance by the Varaždin Tamburitza Orchestra with tamburitza players KUD Jedinstvo and Klapa Sv. Juraj-HRM after the raffle on May 7 on the Riva.

Stjepko Rošin designed this year's Sudamja poster. 

For more, check out our lifestyle section.