2011-04-24
Explosion of the Cart
On Easter Sunday, Florence's citizens gather in Piazza del Duomo to watch a dove-shaped rocket, called the "Colombina", fly out of the famous Duomo. It then ignites a huge wooden structure in the square causing the Explosion of the Cart.
While the ultimate purpose of the event is to secure a good harvest, its pagan roots are less clear.
Tradition holds that the Explosion of the Cart goes back to the semi-legendary exploits of Pazzino de'Pazzi,
a Florentine warrior who was the first man to climb the walls of
Jerusalem in July 1099, during the First Crusade. For this deed he
received from his commander two shards of stone from the Holy Sepulchre,
shards which were subsequently used to start an annual "holy fire" to
be transported through the city as a religious relic for all to see
during Holy Week.
By the Middle Ages the holy flame had come to
be represented by a large candle, transported in a cart through town. By
the 18th century, the simple cart had metamorphosed into a tremendous
30-feet-tall structure.
Today, the ceremony still bears a strong
resemblance to the way in which it has been celebrated for centuries.
The cart arrives in Piazza del Duomo pulled by two white oxen and
accompanied by costumed revellers, city officials and clerical
representatives. The holy fire is lit in the Church of SS Apostoli and
transported to the Duomo, where the archbishop lights the sacred Colombina rocket with it during the Easter Mass. The rocket travels out of the Duomo along a wire, setting fire to the fireworks attached to the cart.
If
this complex ritual goes smoothly, good luck is ensured for the city,
not only with harvests but in the everyday life and business of its
citizens.
When: 24 Apr 2011
Where: Piazza del Duomo, Florence, Italy
From: whatsonwhen.com
last modification: 2011-02-09
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