I was up by 6 this morning and walked around the inside of the ancient walls of Orvieto. It was the perfect time to walk, as the city was still asleep. By 9:30, we heard the drums of Corpus Domini. The religious procession of Corpus Christi had begun. They arrived at the Duomo for a 10:30 service, then walked in procession to every commune (neighborhood) in the city of Orvieto. We walked toward the Duomo about 10 and were invited to have wine and bread with local residents in a small piazza. We then found a shady spot to sit and waited for the procession to pass. Today’s procession was predominantly men, from all walks of life, dozens of priests, people from surrounding communities carrying their most precious religious tapestries, men in chain mail and armor, drummers, flag bearers, trumpeters, and archers. The choreography was remarkable, but then they’ve had 754 years of practice!
We will never forget the beautiful, colorful handmade costumes and their exquisitely made shoes, the details of the costumes down to the spurs on the boots of the armored soldiers, and the leather quivers full of handmade arrows. What an experience!
We will never forget the beautiful, colorful handmade costumes and their exquisitely made shoes, the details of the costumes down to the spurs on the boots of the armored soldiers, and the leather quivers full of handmade arrows. What an experience!
