Cart Burst or Easter Fire

Cart Burst or Easter Fire By Vincent P. Cuccia In 1099 the Palazzino dei Pazzi family of Florence started the ceremony of building a monumental cart called the "Fire Cart" (Brindellone) to celebrate Easter. The cart was placed outside of the Santa Maria del Fiore Cathedral. Then, at the Gloria part of the mass, the bishop would light an "Iron Dove" (Colombina) with flames and slide it along a wire that connected the major altar to the Brindellone outside. The Colombina or iron dove would ignite the "Brindellone" and then slide back to the altar. This ceremony is still practiced today in Florence, Italy. If there are no complications, it is consider a good luck sign for the crops.