Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Now head into the little chapel behind the altar. In the center is a gigantic tomb, and on
the walls above are large paintings that illustrate two significant events from the life of this
importantlocalfigure.St.Euphemiawasthevirtuousdaughterofaprosperousearlyfourth-
century family in Chalcedon (near today's Istanbul). Euphemia used her family's consid-
erable wealth to help the poor. Unfortunately, her pious philanthropy happened to coincide
with anti-Christian purges by the Roman Emperor Diocletian. When she was 15 years old,
Euphemia was arrested for refusing to worship the local pagan idol. She was brutally tor-
tured,herbonesbrokenonawheel.Finallyshewasthrowntothelionsasapublicspectacle.
But, the story goes, the lions miraculously refused to attack her. You can see this moment
depicted in one ofthe paintings above—as a bored-looking lion tenderly nibbles at her right
bicep.
Flash forward to the year 800, when a gigantic marble sarcophagus containing St. Eu-
phemia'srelics somehow foundits way into the Adriatic andfloated all the way uptoIstria,
where Rovinj fishermen discovered it bobbing in the sea. They tugged it back to town,
where a crowd gathered. The townspeople realized what it was and wanted to take it up
to the hilltop church. But nobody could move it...until a young boy with two young calves
showed up. He said he'd had a dream of St. Euphemia—and, sure enough, he succeeded
in dragging her relics to where they still lie. In the painting above, see the burly fishermen
looking astonished asthe boysucceeds inmoving the giant sarcophagus. Note the depiction
of Rovinj fortified by a double crenellated wall—looking more like a castle than like the
creaky fishing village of today. At the top of the hill is an earlier version of today's church.
Now turn your attention to Euphemia's famous sarcophagus. The front panel (with the
painting of Euphemia) is opened with much fanfare every September 16, St. Euphemia's
feast day, to display the small, withered, waxen face of Rovinj's favorite saint.
• If you have time and energy, consider climbing the...
Bell Tower
Scaling thechurchbelltower'screakywoodenstairway requiresanenduringfaithinthere-
liability of wood. It rewards those who brave its 192 stairs with a commanding view of the
town and surrounding islands. The climb doubles youraltitude, and from this perch youcan
also look down—taking advantage of the quirky little round hole in the floor to photograph
the memorable staircase you just climbed.
