Spello Infiorate: Floral Majesty for a Feast Day Celebration

Floral tapestries carpet the winding medieval streets of more than one Umbrian town for the Feast of Corpus Domini (60 days after Easter – and June 2nd this year.,) but Spello, Umbrian gem not far from Assisi, takes the stage.

This year, 40 floral carpets adorned the medieval alleyways as welcome to the sacred Host carried in a late-morning procession. “The Kiss of Judas” won first prize, yellow broom, roses of various colors, delphinium, iris, daisies, wild fennel, calendule, vetch, sorrel, carnations, uniting in floral glory:

What expression in the face of Christ – such strong emotion created in flowers:

The severity of the helmeted centurion figure also astounding:

Prizes were awarded in the categories of Quadro (single scene picture) and Tappeti (floral carpets with repetitive geometrical patterns or with various images).

An impressive quadro depicted San Francesco receiving the stigmata on Mt. La Verna in Tuscany in 1224, that infiorata created to celebrate the 800th anniversary of this event.

The tired young infioratori (“flower-tapestry makers”) were seated around their masterpiece, drowsy after having worked all night…

I spoke with Rebecca, a member of this group of Infioratori called “Gioventu in Fiore” (“Youth in Flower”).

Her enthusiasm for her participation in the group’s all-night work gave no sign of exhaustion whatsoever.

Near the group’s floral quadro, a poster explained the work and its symbolism. The Christ figure in the upper corner was highlighted with an array of brilliant colors…..

…..and yellow wild broom, orange calendule, blue delphinium, pink and red roses, white carnations – and not only – brought the image to life:

:Another youthful group of 30 had collaborated all night together on a stunning quadro entitled, “Il Genesis del Male” (“The Genesis of Evil”) which took second place in the Quadri category (12 single-scene pictures this year):

Other quadri adorned Spello medieval streets and piazzas:

Here and there as I wandered, I found groups of infioratori finishing up their floral depictions in haste before the start of the processionm, boxes of flowers nearby;