Easter Fireworks
And then a dove is sent to the cart like a rocket to light the fireworks. Are you kidding me? Fireworks on Easter? ……. Yep, that’s what they did! Fireworks! Right in front of Duomo, the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore!
Now I love fireworks, but I sure wasn’t expecting fireworks in front of a cathedral in Florence, Italy as part of Easter celebration. But here I was! Meredith had told me to meet here early for good viewing of some kind of celebration in front of the cathedral where they lit some kind of fire. The “fire” was fireworks!! Incredible!
The cart is called the Brindellone, and was pulled into the square by four large oxen! It stood at least three stories tall and looked to be ages old. The tradition, as I understand now goes back to the first Crusades! Over 1000 years ago! 1000 YEARS!! And all the attendants and processional were all dressed in garb from those dates, including knights in armor and ladies in waiting.
The dove is really a rocket on a wire from inside the cathedral and tied to the cart. The fire it brings is started from the rocks saved from the Crusades! Now this is some real history!
The event is the Scoppio del Carro, or Explosion of the Cart! [See http://www.italiansrus.com/articles/scoppio.htm] It is said that if all goes well with the fireworks – and there were a lot of firemen nearby – that it brings prosperity to the city for the year! It sure looked great to me!!
See Easter Fireworks photos from link in right column or from:
http://www.dotphoto.com/go.asp?l=abrysoninchina&p=1A55&AID=3416549
posted by A Bryson (formerly) in China @ 2:22 AM
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