Corpus Domini Flower Festival

A carpet of flowers in the heart of Ciociaria

Every year, there is one night when the small village of Collepardo, in the province of Frosinone, does not sleep. It is the night before Corpus Domini, when the streets and squares of the historic center are filled with petals, leaves, coffee grounds, and natural materials to create the Infiorata: a long trail of floral paintings that, at dawn on Sunday, welcomes the passage of the procession. It is one of the town's most cherished traditions, alongside the Patronal Feast of the Most Holy Savior and the Fettuccine Festival.

How the Infiorata is born

Work begins days in advance with the gathering and sorting of flowers. But it is during the night between Saturday and Sunday that the village truly comes alive: volunteers, associations, and especially many young people meet along the procession route to compose the floral designs by hand, petal by petal. It is a moment of collaboration and wholesome fun, where generations mingle and the historic center becomes a large open-air workshop. By morning, when the sun illuminates the alleys, the flower carpets are ready.

The procession

On Sunday morning, around 11:00 AM, the procession of the Blessed Sacrament moves through the village, advancing slowly over the floral carpets. This is the religious heart of the event: the designs, crafted for hours, are walked upon and partially dissolved by the passing procession, reflecting the profound meaning of the Infiorata—an ephemeral art form intended to be offered and consumed in that very gesture.

Collepardo, a village in the Ernici Mountains

The setting is Collepardo, a medieval village of just over a thousand inhabitants perched at an altitude of about 600 meters in the heart of the Ernici Mountains, in the southern part of Lazio. The historic center retains its typical medieval appearance, with houses, alleys, and small squares clustered around the Town Hall and the 15th-century parish church. Nearby are some of the most famous attractions of the Ciociaria region: the Certosa di Trisulti, the Bambocci Caves, and the striking Pozzo d'Antullo, an impressive karst sinkhole. Visiting Collepardo on the day of the Infiorata means discovering the village at its most vibrant and participatory moment.

Why it is worth it

• An authentic, free tradition, far from mass tourism.
• The unique atmosphere of the flower night, amidst the scent of petals and collective labor.
• The procession advancing over the flower carpets, the iconic image of the festival.
• An opportunity to visit one of the most beautiful villages in the Ernici Mountains.