Once again this year on Easter Sunday, 31 March, one of the oldest and most evocative popular traditions in Florence is renewed: the Scoppio del carro. An event between the secular and the profane that attracts thousands of people every year.
On Easter Sunday morning, a giant cart, the so called brindellone is pulled by a pair of oxen adorned with flowers through the streets of Florence, preceded by a great historic parade of 150 people in 15th century costume in Piazza del Duomo, between the Baptistery and the Cathedral. At 11 am, while the "Gloria" is being sung, the Archbishop lights up the Colombina (a rocket in the shape of a dove triggered by the holy fire) that starts flying from the altar down a wire outside the church, to reach the Cart in the square and set off the spectacular fireworks. The ancient cart disappears under the coloured lights, explosions and clouds of smoke… and reappears at the end of the fires, showing the amazing marbles of the Cathedral in the background. If the ritual goes smoothly and the Colombina goes back to the high altar good luck is ensured for the city and its citizens. The "Bursting of the cart" has its origins in the first Crusade (1099), whose objective was taking away the Jerusalem Holy Sepulchre from the rule of infidels. According to local tradition, commander Godfrey IV de Buillon decided to reward the Florentine Pazzino de’ Pazzi for his courage, by giving him three chips of stone from the Holy Sepulchre. Once back home, he was welcome by the Florentines and the stones became object of worship: this reliquary is still preserved in the Church of SS. Apostoli, On the evening of Saturday Easter Eve, at 10 pm, the Sacred Fire is lit with these flints, every year on Santa Maria del Fiore churchyard… this is the prelude to the Explosion of the Cart.
Since 1515, Florentines inaugurated a tradition still alive today: from the cart, placed between the Baptistery and the Cathedral, would start the fireworks spreading symbolically the Divine Light and the Blessing over the entire city . See the programme for the Bursting of the Cart 2024.
