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The feast of the Palombella (English)

Pubblicato il 09 luglio 2009

Thefeast of the Palombella is celebrated in Piazza del Duomo at middayon the day of Pentecost or Whit Sunday which is the 50th day afterEaster. A secular tradition that has been celebrated annually since the endof the fourteenth century. The ceremony commemorates the descent ofthe holy spirit upon the Madonna and the apostles when they'retogether in the cenacle. Early documents dating back to 1404 tell usthat the feast of the Palombella was originally held inside theCathedral. In 1524, the noble lady Giovanna Monaldeschi della Cervaraleft her estate, the Castello della Sala, to Orvieto's Opera delDuomo in her will together with her wish that this festival wouldcontinue to be celebrated. Her will is now conserved in the archivesat the Opera del Duomo and is available for visitors to read.

ThePalombella was held inside the Cathedral for many years, but, laterthe Lateran Roman Council, forbade the use of fireworks insidechurches and places of worship and the ceremony was transferred tothe piazza outside the Duomo in 1846. A tabernacle in Gothic stylewith the figures of Mary and the Apostles was placed on the steps infront of the central portal of the Duomo. This represents thecenacle and the dove was sent along a wire from the top of theSaracinelli and Faina buildings down towards the Duomo. In 1940 thewire was extended to the church of San Francesco, in Via Maitani,opposite the Duomo, behind its original position. A shrinerepresenting the Empyrean sky, or the highest of the skies, andtherefore the presence of God , was made and placed on the roof of San Francesco church.

Atmidday, the Bishop waved a white linen hanker chief from the loggiaof the Opera del Duomo. This was to order the ‘master mason' ofthe Cathedral to set off the fireworks, and then the white dove withits wings spread out, slid swiftly down the wire on a perch in awheel, amid loud bangs and clouds of smoke, to the tabernacle.

Themastermason would light the rockets and fireworks on the spokes of thewheel around the dove before it left. The wings of the dove weretied to the wheel with red ribbons to make sure they stayed open.The ceremony continued to be celebrated in this way until a few yearsago, then, after protests from animal activists, the dove wasplaced in a sound proof container to protect the bird from the noiseof the fireworks. In the past, people drew good or bad omens forthe agricultural year from the outcome of the ceremony. ...and,according to the ancient tradition, the Bishop gives the dove to thelatest bride in the town.

Tags: culture english palombella