Fermin to Pamplona in 1196, the city decided to mark the occasion with an annual event. Over the centuries, the saint's festival, the ancient annual fair and the running of the bulls and subsequent bullfights have all melded together. The Abbey of Saint-Acheul in Amiens was founded in 1085 on the supposed tomb of Saint Firmin. Under the choir of the abbey's church there is a vault in the place where the body of Saint Firmin was miraculously discovered. The cult of St Firmin was of great religious and economic importance to Amiens during the Middle Ages and into modern times.
Running of the bulls blessing". The singers finish by shouting " and ('Long live Saint Fermin', in Spanish and Basque, respectively). Most runners dress in the traditional clothing of the festival which consists of a white shirt and trousers with a red waistband () and neckerchief (). Also some of them hold the day's newspaper rolled to draw the bulls' attention from them if necessary. A first rocket is set off at 8 a.m. to alert the runners that the corral gate is open. A second rocket signals that all six bulls have been released. The third and fourth rockets are signals that all