23 July 2007 Rating 2% No Comment  

The annual Infiorata for 2007 is to be held in Gharb on Sunday the 29th of July, which is the same day as the village festa. Works on the Infiorata actually start about three months before it is held. During the preparation the Council comes out with a design which is usually created using their yearly themes and anniversaries. Once the themes are decided upon they are passed to the young local artist Ruben Camilleri Cauchi so that he can prepare the unique design for the current year. On the feast day, from early in the afternoon, the artist himself together with volunteers prepare the Infiorata on the church parvis, just in time for the evening procession with the statue of Our Lady of Visitation to pass over this special carpet. When the procession is finished both young children and adults enjoy themselves playing with the flowers. This year was different from previous years, in that a special edition of the Infiorata was held in March during the Seher il-Punent festival. This Infiorata was prepared to commemorate the visit of the titular painting of the Madonna del Cuore of Gerano which was brought to Gharb for the occasion. The Infiorata was prepared during the night between Saturday 17th and Sunday 18th of March. On Sunday morning, after the mass of thanksgiving a procession with the Madonna del Cuore passed over this special carpet. The Infiorata (which literally means: the throwing of flowers in the path of a distinguished personality) consists of a carpet made of fresh flowers and leaves cut in small pieces and arranged together to form various thematic designs. The Infiorata is an old tradition, the oldest one originating in Gerano, the twinned locality of Gharb, which is found in the outskirts of Rome, Italy. This tradition in Gerano dates back to around the 17th Century. The most particular aspect of the Infiorata held in Gerano is that the period in which it takes place, which is April, lacks a wide variety of flowers. Another peculiarity of this Infiorata is that it takes place in the village feast dedicated to the Madonna del Cuore, unlike the Infiorata of other localities which take place during the feast of Corpus Domini.