Easter in Florence Italy

Cari Amici (Dear Friends),

Two years ago, I passed my first Pasqua in Italia – specifically in Florence (Firenze). I wrote about the parades and the Scoppio del Carro (Explosion of the Cart) here on this blog. Last Easter I was also in Firenze, but I was so busy preparing for my solo exhibit here that I missed out on all the festivities.

Last spring in Florence I met Lili, one of my blog readers. She and her sister Lucrecia had a wonderful time enjoying the Florentine Easter celebration and clued me in on a little known event: the blessing of the Crusadean relic. This year, it was my goal to see another part of the Florentine holiday.

So my flatmate Amit and I met my friend Susan at the Ponte (Bridge) San Trinita and walked across the Arno River to the Piazza del Limbo and into the Chiesa del Santo Sepolcro. It is here that the flintstones awarded the Pazzi family after the Crusades are blessed and then used to light the Holy Fire.



Now, just a disclaimer: While I subscribe to no religion of my own, I am not totally insensitive to the thoughts of others. There were a lot of cameras around from the press and other Italians and maybe a few strainieri (foreigners).

In the second image, the man on the left wearing the banner of Italy’s colors around his chest (with his back to us) is the Mayor of Firenze. I remember him campaigning last time I was here.

I had a strange feeling this year. While inside the church and as the mass was wrapping up, the parade of drummers outside arrived. The rhythmic cadence seemed loud and penetrating to me, while at the same time hypnotizing. I felt transported back to World War II and wondered if this was something close to how it might have felt to be in an old stone building while bombs and shots began to be fired all around you. Well, maybe I should not allow my mind to wander in church!

After we all left the church, the relics were paraded down to Palazzo Strozzi, where they joined the parade for the special cart. I have only included the photos up to the point in which both parades came together. Although the explosion was a little bit different this year, I did not stay long. Perhaps it is because I was so tired after having gotten up early to attend a church service or maybe because I am still adjusting to a life with people (when in Texas, a large majority of my time is spent working alone), but the crowds this morning made me feel … annoyed and a bit bored.
So, if you would like to read more about the Explosion of the Cart, visit my blog entry of Easter 2008

Buona Pasqua

Buona Pasqua Florence Italy

Cari Amici (Dear Friends),

Buona Pasqua or Happy Easter, as you wish. Since I am still very busy working to finish several paintings and drawings before my solo exhibit opens this Thursday in Florence, Italy, I will leave you with the following.

Last year, I wrote about the “Explosion of the Cart” that happens each Easter between Florence’s famous Duomo and Bastistry. To find out the connection between explosions and the religious holiday of Easter, please click on the link below.


http://artbyborsheim.blogspot.com/2008/03/easter-in-florence-italy.html

I also want to leave you with a few of the snapshots that I have taken of Doria and Luca’s garden. I feel fortunate to live with them. And finally, the full moon as I saw him over the Porta San Niccolò along the Arno River the other night. Enjoy this weekend and now, I paint.

Easter in Florence, Italy

Cari Amici,
Well, I started off my morning watching men in tights throwing flags around in Piazza della Repubblica in Florence, Italy. Not a bad way to go. Buona Pasqua!

Another artist friend Martinho joined the Florentine flag wavers, so some of my friends and I went to go watch him. And after we “had a coffee” at Donnini, we headed out to the Duomo to watch the festivities there.


Apparently, each Easter, a cart drawn by oxen is paraded through the streets of the city centro until they reach the Duomo. They stop in front, between the Duomo and the Baptistry. [The animals are led away shortly thereafter.] Il Scoppio del Carro (Explosion of the Cart) dates back to the First Crusade. A Florentine soldier Pazzino de’ Pazzi was the first person to climb the walls of the city of Jerusalem. He was rewarded for his bravery with a piece of stone from the Holy Sepulcher (the burial site of Jesus).

[An aside here: pazzo is italian for ‘mad’ or ‘insane’ and usually an ‘i’ is plural for a masculine adjective. I wonder if this soldier earned his name AFTER his brave act. Forse (maybe) Pazzino de’ Pazzi means “the little crazy one of the crazies.”]

Pazzino returned to Florence and decided to start a ‘holy fire’ during Holy Week, using these stones. The fire was carried throughout the city until around 1300, when the Fiorentines constructed an elaborate cart to carry the flame. Today, the cart is attached to a wire that hangs from either side of the piazza. At the proper time (11:00 this morning), a sculpted colombina (little dove) holding an olive branch swoops down this wire into the cart, setting her off. Firecrackers abound and a perfect explosion indicates a positive year ahead. I think it should be one this year! We were quite lucky that the day was overcast because the lighting was better for the fireworks. And the rain hit afterwards for extra safety (and visual stimuli, from my point of view).

The crowd could have been worse, but the first image at the Duomo I took was because a man held me up on the edge of a bench full of standing viewers. He was rather funny. He said, “I will hold your elbow, not your waist. But do realize that I will be taking your wallet while you are busy taking your photograph.” I just laughed and responded, “I do not have a wallet.” I snapped off as much as I could, not seeing a thing as my camera was held high over my head. This first shot was one of these. The rest were taken from another vantage point, but I still could see very little.

I was amazed that they would set off fireworks so close to such significant and cherished historical artworks, but then, as one friend pointed out, the Duomo and Baptistry survived World War II bombings on Florence, so . . .

Dopo, five of my friends – one newly met on the street – came over to my flat for Easter lunch. It was sort of planned, but only Anna and I were from the original bunch. The other four accepted our invitation this morning. We had a great time – and I had help cooking (which is always appreciated). It was a good Italian lunch. Not the food, but the atmosphere: sitting around for hours enjoying good company. Lunch was over around le ora18:00.

I have tried to include a video here, but not sure if it will work. But I do hope that you enjoy the images.

Allora, happy Easter. I must go out now and see this charming city at night! Ciao, ciao.