Florence’s Scoppio del Carro Successful

A quarter of a hour later than schedule, the mechanical dove of Florence’s Easter Sunday ritual flew down a wire during late morning Mass in the Cathedral to hit the “Carro,” a towering structure rigged with fireworks, to set them off in a resulting “Explosion.”  The dove then returned to the high altar, and this is believed to forecast a year of good crops for the Tuscan countryside and good fortune for Florence.

The only slight hitch was that the flags and banners of the structure unfurled before the scheduled grande finale of light and sound, but that not did not affect the outcome.

Representatives of Calcio Storico neighborhood teams participated in a drawing that decided the face-offs in the June semifinals: Reds vs. Greens and Bianchi (Santo Spirito) vs. Azzuri (Santa Croce) in June.

To see a photo gallery of the Scoppio del Carro, visit Florence’s La Repubblica news site.