WAITING FOR THE FLIGHT OF THE DOVE – Florence, on Easter Sunday: the “Scoppio del Carro”

Have you ever witnessed the flight of the Dove on Easter Sunday in Florence? I have, and I assure you that it is an experience not to be missed. Every year, during the morning of Easter Sunday, the Florentine gather in Piazza del Duomo, to see the traditional “Scoppio del Carro”. Escorted by 150 soldiers, musicians and flag bearers, the wagon (which goes back to the 18th century), is carried by white oxen, parading along the streets from Porta a Prato, where is the other 364 days of the year, to the square the Cathedral. A steel wire connecting it to the altar of the cathedral. During the mass at noon, Archbishop ignites a dove-shaped rocket (reminiscent of the Holy Fire created by means of the old stones). This rocket is shot down, through the wire, up to the wagon, stuffed full of fireworks. The deafening blast of firecrackers symbolizes the distribution to the entire city of fire. Other possible meanings of tradition, indicated that, if the Columbine didn’t arrive to the wagon, was a bad year for the library. Today, all it is good sign (or bad luck), for the city. http://www.firenzeturismo.it/en/

“Scoppio del carro“, is a tradition that dates back to the first crusade. On 15 July 1099, after a long siege, the Crusader army conquered Jerusalem. For the enterprise, a Florentine noble received from Godfrey of Bouillon, three stone chips of the Holy Sepulchre of Christ, then brought to Florence in 1101. Preserved by the Pazzi family, the stones were used to make sparks of fire “novello”, then distributed to individual families, to turn the family hearth. The “Wagon” that is now used, it is obviously not the same built from the Pazzi family, but preserves “the stones of the Holy Sepulchre”. This cart is lodged, during the year, Porta al Prato, Florence, in a wooden building with no Windows, but with a giant door. You will never forget this show, truly sublime, when you see, suddenly, that flaming wagon, while the Dove returns to the altar of the Church. At the same time, you feel a thousand bells in Florence, playing all together. You will see hundreds of pigeons that take flight, tracing carousels in the sky. The “Brindellone”, burned by the flight of the Dove, thou shalt see it explode in a flurry of bangs. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LT5qr1xqbKo