03/01/2015
Cavalcade of the Magi in Florence January 6, 2015
"This year the 6th of January, to celebrate the feast of the Epiphany, the Opera di Santa Maria del Fiore in Florence organizes historical reenactment of" Cavalcade of the Magi. "Now in its nineteenth edition of the modern era, the event goes back to an ancient and glorious tradition of the fifteenth century Florentine in Florence when a company dedicated to the saints lay Magi, who followed certain rules of a religious nature, organized a magnificent procession said "Festa de 'Magi".
Recovered from the Opera di Santa Maria del Fiore in the celebrations for the 700 years since the laying of the foundation stone of the Cathedral and the foundation of the Opera (1296), the event is held under the auspices of the Archdiocese and the cathedral chapter in partnership with the City of Florence and the participation of municipalities in the province.
The solemn procession, composed of about 700 people, led by the Three Wise Men on horseback in sumptuous silk dresses inspired by those of the fresco by Benozzo Gozzoli, through the center of Florence. For the fourth consecutive year, will take part in the parade representatives of some ethnic communities in Florence that will parade in their traditional dress.
After the departure from Piazza Pitti, at 14.00, the procession will wind through the streets of the center until you reach Piazza Duomo, at 15:30. Here, after the greeting of the figures and the outbreak of colubrina, the Three Kings will lay their gifts at the feet of the Living Nativity. Intervention of Franco Lucchesi, president of the Opera di Santa Maria del Fiore, will follow the reading of the passage of the Holy Gospel of the Magi and the greeting of Cardinal Giuseppe Betori who will discuss the meaning of the Epiphany and welcome children of the parishes of the Diocese of Florence .
The "Journey of the Magi", originally built in the fifteenth century, every three years and every five years since 1447, was composed of three different marches who gathered in front of the Baptistery and continued together until the Basilica of San Marco, where with songs and prayers worshiped Baby Jesus. The Society of the Holy Three Kings, also called "The Star", were part of the major components of the Medici family, and for this with their expulsion from Florence, in 1494, the initiative was suppressed. From that moment the Magi underwent transformations over time made it less and less of a religious nature to become extinct. "
Epifania 2015: Cavalcata dei Magi a Firenze
