Festival Of San Fermín - Wikipedia

Saint Fermín

Fermín is said to have been the son of a Roman of senatorial rank in Pamplona in the 3rd century who was converted to Christianity by Saint Honestus, a disciple of Saint Saturninus. According to tradition, he was baptised by Saturninus (in Navarre, also known as Saint Cernin) at the spot now known as the Small Well of Saint Cernin.[a][1] Fermín returned to Pamplona as its first bishop. On a later preaching voyage, Fermín was dragged to death; and is now considered a martyr in the Catholic Church.[1] It is believed that he died on September 25, 303. There is no written record of veneration of the Saint in Pamplona until the 12th century.[1]

The celebration of the festival has its origins in the combination of two different medieval events.[2] Commercial secular fairs were held at the beginning of the summer. As cattle merchants came into town with their animals, eventually bullfighting came to be organised as a part of the tradition.[2] These were first documented in the 14th century.[citation needed] Religious ceremonies honouring the saint were held on October 10,[2] but in 1591, they were transferred to July 7 to coincide with the fair, when Pamplona's weather was better.[2] This is considered to be the beginning of the Sanfermines.

During medieval times, the acts included an opening speech, musicians, tournaments, theatre, bullfights, dances or fireworks.[2] Bullrunning appeared in the 17th century, together with the presence of foreigners and the first concerns about excessive drinking and dissolute behaviour during the event.[2] The Parade of Giants[b] was created in the mid-19th century.[2] The first official bullring was constructed in 1844.[citation needed]

Modern times

The fame and the number of foreign visitors it receives every year are related to the description in Ernest Hemingway's book The Sun Also Rises[c] and the reports he made as a journalist.[3] He first visited in 1923 and returned many times until 1959.[3]

Televisión Española (TVE) broadcasts the event live nationwide and internationally on television. Its national radio broadcasters are Radio Nacional and Cadena SER.

The festival was cancelled in 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[4][5]