Stomorina
is the central event in Omišalj and a tourist attraction with a packed cultural
and entertainment programe that draws numerous visitors to the town.
In the
past, Stomorina was celebrated in a specific way. On the eve of the holiday,
people would celebrate Stomorina in the church above the main altar by
attaching grapes, figs, and pears on a metal ring in honor of the Mother of
God.
The
youths of the town would celebrate Stomorina on the Placa square by attaching
several rings to a pole and hanging fruit and scarves from them. The boys would
silently raise this construction the night before the feast day by means of
ropes, and the girls would help by attaching additional scarves and fruit. The
construction represents the Mother of God as she ascends to heaven in the
company of angels. The boys would guard the construction, or Stomorina, and
protect it from bad weather if necessary. It would remain in the square for two
days, the Feast of the Assumption and the Feast Day of St. Rochus, when people
would dance beneath it. This tradition has been preserved to the present day
and, together with the celebration of the Feast Day of St. Rochus, has become a
local tourist attraction.