italian traditions - Katty Piazza

Bolsena

Infiorata

Corpus christi

Bolsena, a medieval village on the shore of a lake with the same name, on the day of the Corpus Christi becomes even more beautiful with the Infiorata.

The infiorata is an exhibition of drawings made with flowers, seeds, leaves and peat along the streets of the town.

(Bolsena is also famous for the hydrangeas, there are plenty around town and there’s even a festival a couple of weeks before the infiorata, dedicated expressely to this flower)

Unfortunately in 2020 and 2021 the event was canceled due to Covid, but now it’s back in full swing and in 2023 it’s due in June 11, day of the Corpus Christi.

I was in Bolsena during the Infiorata in 2019 and I took loads of pictures, that I obviously would like to share.

but first, a bit of history…

In 1263 AD in Bolsena during Mass a consecrated host started to bleed, as if it was flesh. This miracle was considered proof that the body of Christ is in fact in the Eucharist.

So the following year Pope Urban IV established the feast of Corpus Christi, that previously was only celebrated in Belgium.

From that date, during the Corpus Christi the Eucharist is exhibited and carried around the towns.

In Bolsena the procession is particularly important because with the Blessed Sacrament there’s also a “Sacred Stone” that is taken around, the stone where the blood dropped.

Moreover, since 1995 the celebration got even bigger with the Infiorata.

Getting ready

Una signora separa i fiori che verranno usati per l'infiorata a Bolsena

Works for the Infiorata start a few days before the Sunday on which the procession will take place.

Alcune signore preparano i petali di fiori per l'infiorata

Along the streets of Bolsena you can meet groups of women that separate petals from the flowers, the main material used in the Infiorata.

The Infiorata and procession are held on a Sunday, but some groups start to draw on Saturday night, because it’s very hot during the day and it’s more difficult to work in the sun.

Creating the drawings is a team work, everybody is busy, from the youngest to the elderly. It’s a nice party of the town that involves everyone.

Sunday

On Sunday works start early in the morning and continue without break.

Before

After

Flowers are kept wet throughout the day, so that they stay fresh and they don’t fly away.

Here are two galleries of images (click on the arrows to see all the pictures)

Many drawings represent religious images, but there’s more.

The procession

At 4 pm starts the procession during which Eucharist and Sacred Stone are carried around the town of Bolsena, followed by representatives of the town, of the Church and of the communities.

The procession follows the drawings on the streets. Only the priest carrying the Sacred Stone can walk on the flowers, the others must walk on the side.