Corpus Christi festivity in Bolsena and Montefiascone

by hagerini

On a Sunday during my brother’s and my road trip through Italy we became by coincidence part of this holy and at the same time fascinating traditional festivity. We were filming the Montefiascone cathedral when suddenly its bell started to ring and the members of the mass, led by the bishop, left the church to go in solemn procession through the streets of church’s neighborhood. All whilst praying and singing before returning to the church. In this article I would like to give you some background information and helpful hints if you would like to have a share in this special festivity.

History

The animation for  creation of this festival goes back to a vision of St. Juliana of Liège, an Augustinian choir woman, in 1209. It’s reported that she saw a vision of the moon darkening in one place. Christ has explained to her that the moon shows the liturgical year, whereas the dark spot of the moon shows the absence of a feast. In the genesis also the  town of Bolsena plays a significant role.  It’s said that in 1263 the Miracle of Bolsena took place. The priest Peter of Prague stopped  at Bolsena while on a pilgrimage to Rome. It was difficult for him to believe that with pronouncing ritual words bread and wine can be transformed into the body and blood of Christ. During a ceremony in the Santa Cristina church in Bolsena, he spoke the ritual words when suddenly from the Eucharist, which he held over the chalice, sprang out a lot of blood which stained the corporal (cloth on which consecrated elements are placed during celebration of mass). He could not go on officiating the ceremony and wrapped the Eucharist in the corporal. When the relics were provided to Pope Urban IV he stated the event as a holy miracle and definitely initiated the inaugural of the Corpus Christi festivity. The corporal with the blood stains can still be seen inside Orvieto’s cathedral.

Festivity in Bolsena “L’infiorata di Bolsena”

The Corpus Christi (Ital.: Corpus Domini) festivity is in Bolsena better known as the “L’infiorata di Bolsena”(floral display of Bolsena). The name comes from the fact that the hundreds of citizens, distinguished in competent groups of “Infioratori” create a three kilometer long flowered carpet with thousands of flower petals. Already several days before the festivity the people start to picking and preparing various flowers. There is a real general mobilization: teams of Infioratori are dispersed in the countryside around the lake for the fields and the valley’s plains looking for the right “colors” to use in their designs.

During the entire weekend there are different attractions like concerts and dance shows. But the highlight arrives on Sunday: in the morning of the festivity several groups of Infioratori start to create their designs. The drawings generally represent holy scenes, symbols, geometric figures and images freely taken from famous paintings. The technique of realization consists in executing the design with chalk directly on the pavement ( with the help of a drawing (sketch) on paper). Then the drawn outline gets covered with a dyed sawdust mixture including peat or coffee grounds. In the background plenty of people are sitting on chairs picking petals of the flowers. They put them sorted by colors into boxes and these boxes are brought to the people working on the flower carpets. Equipped with those petals the Infioratori lay petal after petal in the spaces of the design, usually placing them “petal on petal” and keep them wet by wetting them frequently with water.

It is incredible to see how well organized and self-managed the Infioratori are, every person has a certain job and knows exactly what to do. There’s a seamless workflow without interruptions, this is the reason why the three kilometer long flower carpet is timely ready for the procession.

After the holy mass has finished the people exit the church and deploy themselves for the solemn procession following the flower carpets. On top of the parade there’s the Sbandieratori & Musici di Bolsena, a group of flag throwing artists and musicians. They get followed by the holy community including the bishop and several groups that are connected to community of Bolsena.

The procession finds its end around 7 PM at the San Salvatore church near to the castle.

Visitor information

Place

  • Town of Bolsena, Region of Lazio, Province Viterbo.
  • We stayed in the hotel “Le Naiadi“, directly at the lake. With a balcony and lake view we paid for one room € 80.

Date

  • Main mass and solemn procession: every year on the Italian Corpus Christi date (Sunday), in 2018 it’s on June 3rd.
  • General festivities starting already on Thursday with masses, concerts, dances and the presentation from the flag throwing artists and musicians.

Timetable

On Sunday, during Corpus Christi as follows:

  • 8:00 – 11:30 AM, holy mass inside Basilica of Santa Christina
  • 16:00 PM, presentation of the Sbandieratori and musicians from the town of Bolsena on “Piazza Matteotti”
  • 17:00 PM, holy mass inside Basilica of Santa Christina
  • 18:00, Solemn procession starts in front of the Basilica of Santa Christina

The full dates and times are available a few weeks before the Corpus Christi on the tourism website of Bolsena under the section “news” (in Italian only).

Price

The event is completely free of charge.

Arrival

By car (recommended)

We recommend to book a hotel with a parking space included or an early arrival.
We parked in this public parking.

By public transport
  • From Rome Termini: With the IC 588  train to Trieste Centrale, exit in Orvieto and take the bus E652 to Bolsena.
  • From Siena: With the Bus (No. unkown) to “Chiusi-chianciano Terme”, then take the IC 583 train to Napoli Centrale, exit in Orvieto and take the bus E652 to Bolsena.

These are only suggestions check all connections and timetables using Google Maps or at Trenitalia.com

Festivity in Montefiascone “Infiorata Corpus Domini”

The solemn procession starts already in the morning so will have the chance to visit the beautiful town of Montefiascone and attend the Corpus Christi procession (before going to Bolsena) as we did so. Also here the citizens prepare the streets of the old city center with impressing flower designs.

Visitor information

Place

  • Town of Montefiascone, Region of Lazio, Province Viterbo

Date

  • Main mass and solemn procession: every year on the Italian Corpus Christi date (Sunday), in 2018 it’s on June 3rd.

Timetable

  • 10:00 AM, holy mass inside Basilica of Santa Margherita
  • 10:45 AM, Solemn procession starts in front of the Basilica

Price

The event is completely free of charge.

Arrival

By car (recommended)

You can park on this public parking. There’s even an elevator for getting up to the old city center.

By public transport
  • From Rome Termini: Take the Regionale Veloce 2488 train to Orte. In Orte take the bus RM198 to Montefiascone
  • From Siena: Take the Regionale 6883 train to Chiusi-Chianciano terme. from Chiusi-Chianciano Terme get with the Regionale Veloce 2317 train to Attigliano-Bomarzo and from there with the bus RM206 to Montefiascone

These are only suggestions check all connections and timetables using Trenitalia.com

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