On the third of February, the official day of both saint and city, parish banner bearers flow into the city in folk costume for the centrepiece of the festival, a procession attended by bishops, ambassadors, civic leaders, visiting notables and the people of Dubrovnik.
And the Catholic church has enjoyed slightly more freedom, most notably in being allowed to take out a street procession for the festival of Cuba's patron saint, the Virgin of Charity, on September 8th, for the first time in 38 years.
On July 17 every year, the Gion Festival in Kyoto in central Japan culminates in a grand procession of yamahoko, floats known as 'moving museums' because of their elaborate decoration with tapestries and wooden and metal ornaments.