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To pay homage to the event know the world over as the Miracle of Bolsena, which had its origin in 1263, the Feast of Corpus Domini is celebrated every year on the second Sunday after Whit Sunday. In preparation for the procession, the way is covered with an uninterrupted carpet of flowers.
The origins of this skill, with beautiful designs and also depicting holy figures are very ancient. This painstaking work associated with the "Infiorata" is a visually aesthetical message giving honour to the Eucharistic Procession in the Miracle's city.
The carpet of flowers is laid on the procession route for a distance of about 3 km. using petals of flowers from gardens and from surrounding fields. The various colours include those of roses, carnations, hydrangeas and lilies contrasting with those of broom, poppies and bluebottles. Humble plants are used to offer a subtle blend of colour using wild onions, acacias and chestnuts. Marsh reeds complete an incomparable harmony of colour and design.
Very careful boarder designs are made with sawdust coloured black and give the effect similar to that of stained glass.
The townsfolk including young artists extemporise the designs using drawings placed on paper and laid on the streets or drawn directly onto the streets. These designs are chosen with great care in the months preceding the procession. To keep the flowers fresh, flowers are picked only one or two days before they are laid.
It is really a visually creative devotion: today's homage to a divine manifestation of the past.
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