In June, the streets of Pienza are naturally festooned with flowers.
But one day in particular, the Pientini go out of their way with a lavish display of “floral opulence.”
The day is called “Corpus Domini.” It dates back to the Middle Ages.
Religious in origin, the celebration has taken on all aspects of a civic event. Acquaintances of ours, who almost never attend mass, eagerly participate in the decorations.
Corso Rossolino, Pienza’s main street, is decorated from end to end with freshly harvested leaves and flowers…
…as is every side street in the old city.
Some of the designs are very intricate.
Half the children in town seem to be involved with the decorating…
…or wetting down the flowers to prevent them from wilting in the summer heat or being scattered by the breeze.
It seems to Carol and Roger like an awful lot of work for something that lasts only a few hours. But the civic spirit and sense of community is one of the things that makes Pienza such an appealing place to live.
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