Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-03-23
coPpqo cARR QUAINT FLORENCE

over it's wire to the stand in front Of
the altar
In the meantime the crowds in the
cathedral and in the plaza have. been
eagerly watching the flight Of the dove
to the car and it's return. II it travels
straight and without interruption to
it's goal, successfully accomplishes its
purpose and returns without hitch or
delay to its station, all is well-a good
year. bountiful crops and good fortune
for the community arc confidently an
ticipated. II. as sometimes happens
something goes wrong with the fiery
bird. the fireworks fail to ignite free
ly, or some other misfortune, attends
are looked for during the following
twelve months and the unfortunate
constructor OF the device Is not only
execrated by the populace. but his pay
thorities as punishment for his fail
ure.
There are many other superstitious
beliefs cherished in connection with
the ceremony. Some. waiting until the
bells ring out and the first explosion
is heard, wash their eyes at this mo-
fnent in the belief that they will there
by be strengthened during the coming
year. Mothers present with their in
fants try to induce them to make
their first attempts to walk while the
explosion Is in progress. believing that
thereby the little ones steps will be
strengthened
To the foreign visitor. and there are
many Of high rank, sometimes who
come to see. the curious Spectacle
Queen Victoria on one occasion wit
messed 1t from the Loggia del Bigalo.
a special point of view for the highly
privileged-there is in the, crowd that
gathers as much of interest as In the
villages, from other cities and even
from the more distant mountain re-
gions the people flock, all wearing
their characteristic and often highly
variegated costumes, packing the square
in a solid mass. gay with the brightest
colors, representative of all the races
and classes that make up the pop
ulation of this part Of the coun-
try. all patiently waiting for the
moment when the changing bells
and eagerly watching to see whether the
omens are propitious for the year to
come.
After the fireworks on the car have
been partially exploded the car is
drawn to the corner Of the street 'front.'
ing the Pazzi palace. where, pursuant
to an ancient custom. the remainder are
exploded and the car then returned to
it's resting place until it shall again be re-
CURED for the next Easter ceremony.
-
The present car, several Of its prede-
cessors having become a prey to the
flames was built in 1922, to the order
OF Cossimus A.oisi Pazzi, as an inscrip
ton it bears states. Another informs us
that Giovanni Cossin1o de Pazzi had it
cost of 131 scudi. Other inscriptions ind-
cate work done on it at various times by
different artisans, who, as a reward for
their work, are granted the privilege Of
inscribing their names on it's interior
panels.
The connection of the Pazzi family with
the car and with the ceremonies attend
ing the Easter celebration is part OF the
history of Florence. The family origi-
nally were prominent among the mer-
chant princes of the city when it was one
of the great mercantile centers OF Eu-
rope. A member of the family who was
on a crusade to the Holy Land spent
Easter in Jerusalem. and. being a man
of great physical strength, was able to
force his way to the front at the lighting
of the holy fire in the sepulchre. and aft
erward to bear the taper he had lighted
safely out of the crush.
This, according to the story. he bore
lighted to Florence. riding backward on
his horse great part OF the distance the
better to shield the precious fame from
the wind. At one point the devil himself
made an attempt to extinguish it. but
was successfully repulsed by the doughty
knight. He brought his light safely to
Florence and presented 1t to the bap-
tistery, claiming as a right. in recon-
pense, the privilege each year of being
the first to take a light from the sacred
fire for the shrine at his house corner.
The present name Of the family is due
to this knights ride from the Holy
Land. People. seeing the crusader APP
proach backward on his horse greeted