Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Palombella

Two Sunday's ago was the Palombella festival, celebrating Ascension day. The festival takes place in Orvieto's Piazza del Duomo, where hundreds of people gather to see a dove fly from a near by church, to the steps of the Duomo. The dove representing the holy spirit,  is given to the couple who got married first that year.

The dove is inside a box, suspended on a wire, which slides him into a baldacchino on the Duomo steps, where there is a fireworks display. This was interesting to watch, and I am sure PETA would not be pleased. I have been assured that no dove has ever died during the festival, they are just scared. This years dove escaped and flew onto a nearby roof, but luckily for the couple, the town had a backup :)
Crowd in Piazza del Duomo


Baldacchino

Trumpeters

Bishop signaling the dove

Dove flying on a wire


Fireworks

Escaped dove on a roof

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