Corpus Domini is one of Italy’s most beautiful festivals.  The tradition began after the Miracle of Bolsena when a priest, with doubts about his faith was performing a mass and the host began to bleed.  The Pope declared the Festival of Corpus Domini and it has been celebrated ever since.  The streets of the procession route are closed to traffic 24 hours before the procession is to take place and are then elaborately decorated with designs in fresh flowers, rice, coffe grounds, corn etc. and coloured sawdust.  After a mass in the town square, the ‘communion host’ is carried over the carpet of flowers followed by the local bishop, priests, Mayor and town officials and the faithful.  The date changes every year so be sure to check for this if you are planning a June visit to Italy.