Split
G. da Santacroce, Split on the palm of St Domnius’ hand, 1549 (Monastic church, Poljud)
Feast of St Domnius, patron saint of the city, May 7. It was upon the legend of St Domnius being a disciple of St Peter that the Split church, from the early Middle Ages, founded the claim to its apostolic origin. The theory probably starts with the first archbishop of Split, John, who came from Ravenna, from the city that considers its own patron, St Apollinare, born according to tradition in Syria, whence came Domnius too, to have been a disciple of Peter. It was only Msgr Frane Bulić, the founder of contemporary Croatian national archaeology, who was able to prove that in fact Domnius lived at the end of the 3rd and beginning of the 4th century. The likeness of Domnius is presented first of all on a mosaic in the baptistery of the Roman Cathedral of St John Lateran. Bonino da Milano put up a ciborium in his honour with altar and sarcophagus in 1427, whence in 1770 his relics were transferred to a new altar made by G. M. Morlaiter. His likeness is to be seen on Split medieval coins and chapter seals; scenes from his life are described by a painting of P. Ferrari in the cathedral choir (1683-85). We shall find it on choir stalls and on a relief over the northern entry into the bell tower of the cathedral in Split. A representation of St Domnius with a model of Split in his hand painted by Girolamo da Santacroce on the polyptych in the Franciscan church in Poljud is particularly worthwhile. A medieval Statute of 1313 ordered that the feast of St Domnius was to be celebrated. During the feast of St Domnius, a day which is called in Split Sudamja, lavish church rituals and processions were carried out, competitions, plays, tombola was played, weddings negotiated. This was always the busiest trading day of the year, when salesmen arrived in town from all quarters. It was the beginning of the summer season the day of the first ice cream, cherries and broad beans. Sudamja is being reinvigorated. It will be the day of the official beginning of the tourist season.
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