Celebrate Easter with a Bang!

If you want to celebrate Easter with a bang look no further than Firenze! Florence kicks off Easter Sunday with 15th century "Lo Scoppio del Carro," Explosion of the Cart! Lo Scoppio has roots in the Crusades when Europeans took the city of Jerusalem, claiming the ancient grounds for Christianity. Years later a Florentine man, Pazzino de' Pazzi, was first to scale

the walls of Jerusalem and awarded three flints from the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. The flints were carried back to Tuscany and ceremoniously set ablaze during Easter celebrations. The tradition evolved of a candle and cart being carried through the city to the Duomo where a "holy fire" was distributed to attendees. Today fireworks set to the sound of bells from Giotto's campanile ensure a good harvest and prosperity. Pair the fireworks show, 500-year-old cart, and special mass with the meal to follow and you have yourself the ultimate Italian Easter holiday.

images via:

thecityapartmentbook.com

firenze.repubblica.it