Hello all,
We will be on Florence for Easter and have been reading about the firework explosions in the plaza outside the duomo on Easter morning. My question is, could we attend Mass and see the explosion? It looks like the priest sets off the explosion from the church, but I think that would mean if you were inside, you would miss the outside festivities? Any advice on the topic? Thanks in advance!
Posted by
Firenze
500 posts
Exactly. A big cart (Carro) on wheels is put in front of the main Duomo door, and a wire is strung between the high altar and the cart. A wooden dove is hung on the wire and it has explosives on its tail. As the Gloria of the 12am Mass is being sung, the archbishop will put fire on the tail of the dove; the fire comes rubbing stones from the Holy Sepulchre brought from Jerusalem by crusaders. As its tail goes on fire, the dove will run all along the wire to the cart, and it is built to reverse its run as it touches the cart and go back to the altar. If the dove goes back regularly, it is a sign of good luck; but as explosives are more and more perfect, the run goes almost always well. The last time the dove did not go back was in 1966 (in a few months, Florence was flooded).
As the dove touches the cart, it triggers fireworks going on for several minutes. But you cannot attend Mass and see the fireworks out of the church at the same time.
If you want to attend Mass in the Duomo, enter from the right side door, that is reserved to worshippers.
Posted by
San Francisco Bay Area (USA)
15174 posts
First of all I wouldn't call it an explosion. It's just fire crackers on a wooden cart.
See below the smoking dove on wire about to hit the cart and after the car is lit:
http://3.citynews-firenzetoday.stgy.it/~media/base/36030816290601/colombina-2-2-2.jpg
http://www.stamptoscana.it/wp-content/uploads/old/scoppio_del_carro.jpg
The main door of the Duomo is open but from the inside you won't be able to see the cart well from inside. I did that once but I couldn't see much because the church is packed with people and everybody converges toward the center corridor to see the dove going back and forth and to see the fireworks.
You could attend the mass and get outside a little earlier to see the lighting of the cart. But it's so packed with people standing outside too, that you won't be able to see much, unless you are 7 feet tall.