BOLSENO INFIORATA

Some Italian immigrants to America sought streets paved with gold but they left behind streets that were literally paved with flowers. Corpus Domini (the Miracle of the Eucharist) is celebrated 60 days after Easter throughout the Catholic World. In many Italian towns it is celebrated by the creation, in a single day, elaborate floral designs (infiorata) on the streets using colorful and fresh flower, leaves and seeds. All of the designs are completed by late afternoon; just in time for a procession of the faithful and blessing of temporary alters. After the ceremony the carpet of flowers are washed away to miraculously return the next year.

In 1263 the Miracle of the Eucharist took place in Bolseno’s Church of Saint Christina. A German priest, who doubted that the Holy Eucharist is the Body of Christ, while celebrating mass witnessed blood from the Host make its way to the Saint Christina’s crypt. The priest’s belief was restored and Pope Urban IV, who was living in nearby Orvieto, declared it a miracle.

We arrived Sunday morning in Bolseno, to watch the infiorati being assembled. At dawn artists’ draw or print outlines on thin plastic sheets taped to the street; simpler designs are drawn directly onto the pavement with chalk. Then teams of workers begin the tedious process of striping flower petals, leaves and seeds from their stems while others apply a thin layer of black, wet sand-like material over the outlines of the designs. By mid-morning more team members begin filling in with colorful flower petals, seeds, leaves, beans, and other materials to complete the compositions. Everything is continually misted with water to keep the vegetation moist, colorful and aromatic. Once completed, all of the designs are judged to determine which one is the best; every team’s work is appreciated and recognized for their efforts.

After almost 750 this act of faith continues to enrich the lives of Italians who work together to create these fantastic (but fleeting) works of art with only the abundant natural materials found in the nearby countryside.

Only in Italy!