Scoppio del Carro, la Colombina
Florence Scoppio del Carro (explosion of the cart) is a Florentine Easter Sunday tradition that dates back to the First Crusade. When the Crusaders conquered Jerusalem on 15 July 1099, the Florentine Pazzino di Ranieri de' Pazzi was the first to raise a Christian banner above the city. He was rewarded with three chips of stone from the Holy Sepulchre which were later used in Florence during Easter celebrations to light the fire symbolising new life. The fire was then distributed around the city by a cart, where families would relight their hearths which were traditionally extinguished on Good Friday. This tradition is reported as early as 1102. However, the Pazzi family were stripped of all their wealth and privileges and exiled from Florence after their aborted attempt to overthrow the Medici in 1478. From that moment on, the Signoria took over responsibility for the preparation and celebration of the ritual explosion of the cart. The richly decorated cart, which dates to the 18 C, is hauled by brightly bedecked white oxen from Porta al Prato to the cathedral square. A wire is run from the choir of the cathedral and fixed to the centre of the cart. In the meantime a procession of clergy leaves the Church of the Santissimi Apostoli and goes to the Baptistery. At midday, a dove-shaped rocket, the colombina, is released inside the cathedral. It slides along the wire, leaving a trail of smoke along the length of the nave. When it reaches the cart, it sets off a cluster of crackers and then slides back to its point of departure. After a few moments, hundreds of multicoloured fireworks positioned on the cart go off with much banging and whistling. A Catherine Wheel on top lights up and starts spinning, ending with a loud bang and opening up to form the petals of a lily. Then four small gonfalons appear, bearing the emblems of Florence, of the old Pazzi family, of the Wool Merchants’ Guild and currently, as a sign of peace in the world, of the UN. The cart starts from via Il Prato at 9 am. At 10 am the procession of clergy starts from the Church of SS. Apostoli. The explosion of the Cart occurs at 11 am.
