In Milan will be celebrated the day of Saint Ambrogio and the opening of La Scala

In the northern Italy's economic capital Milan, on December 7, 2009, will be held the most fun and significant event of the beginning of the winter - Fiesta in honor of St. Ambrogio, who is the patron saint of Milan. The festivities will last for three days, during which the square of St. Ambrogio (Piazza Sant Ambrogio) will host a variety of entertainment events: the performances of folk groups, concerts, church and classical music, as well as the Christmas Fair "Oh Bej! Oh Bej!", which annually attracts a huge number of tourists from all over Italy and other countries. At the fair are well represented the handicrafts and various gifts of both religious and ethnic lines. Christmas Fair is extremely popular among the children and for them there are held circus performances and numerous attractions. In addition, young guests can taste traditional sweets - donuts, sweet pancakes, roasted chestnuts and candies. By the way, it is due to the children the Fair "Oh Bej! Oh Bej!" got its name. That is how the children cried out in the old days, when got for the first time at the Fair, in the Milan dialect it means ("how beautiful, how beautiful!).
On the square is located the Basilica of St. Ambrogio (Basilica Sant'Ambrogio) - the most famous of the Milanese basilicas that is considered to be a prototype of all the Romanesque churches and, according to the Milanese themselves, is the most beautiful church of the city. Basilica Sant'Ambrogio was built in 379 by the Holy Ambrogio at the burial site of two Christian martyrs Gervasio and Protasio, and therefore was originally called the Basilica of the martyrs (basilica martyrum). Its final name Basilica Sant'Ambrogio got in 397 after the death of St. Ambrogio, whose relics were placed in the basilica itself. Milanese are deeply commemorating the patron saint of the city, many older Milanese still call themselves Ambrogians, associating himself with the name of the saint.
Another reason to visit Milan on the Day of St. Ambrogio is the opening of the opera season at La Scala (Teatro alla Scala) - because it was on December 7, 2004, when the well-known theater marked its opening after the last three years of restoration with the " Recognized Europe" opera by Antonio Salieri.