Infiorata and Artistic Carpets for Corpus Domini

A tuff stone village that becomes an open-air gallery

For the solemnity of Corpus Domini, Sant'Agata de' Goti — a village perched on a tuff spur in the Province of Benevento, Campania, about 35 km from Naples and 25 km from the Sannio capital, at the foot of Mount Taburno — stages one of its most iconic traditions: the Infiorata and Artistic Carpets. The squares of the historic center and the central Via Roma are covered with large compositions made of flower petals, broom, myrtle, and colored natural materials. It is not just a simple decoration: it is an ephemeral collective work, designed to live for a few hours and finally be crossed by the procession.

How an artistic carpet is born

The organization is entrusted to the Società Operaia di Mutuo Soccorso ETS, a historic local association that coordinates a technical staff of architects and master flower artists. The theme is chosen by the parish priests about three months in advance and translated into sketches and digital renderings, then printed and traced on the ground as a guide for the volunteers.

• Gathering materials: broom and myrtle are collected on the surrounding hills, respecting the environment and using criteria that do not deplete the scrubland.
• The «spruá a murtella»: the traditional technique of shredding myrtle, guarded by the village elders and passed down to the younger generations, is the true heart of local knowledge.
• The night of work: on the night preceding Corpus Domini, over two hundred volunteers — families, associations, students — compose the designs on the ground, square by square.
• Live painting: under the porticoes of Via Roma, artists and street artists paint live, adding a contemporary chapter to an ancient tradition.

The Corpus Domini procession

The culminating moment is on Sunday evening. The Holy Mass in the Co-Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta is followed by the Eucharistic procession, which moves from Piazza Duomo and winds its way to Piazza Castello, near the church of San Menna, passing over the floral carpets. This is where the profound meaning of the Infiorata is understood: a work of art built with patience to be surrendered to the passage of the Blessed Sacrament and then dissolve.

A recognized intangible heritage

The Sant'Agata Infiorata is listed in the Inventory of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Campania (IPIC), in the section dedicated to «Knowledge», by executive decree no. 403 of July 16, 2021. The recognition rewards not only the beauty of the carpets but the intergenerational transmission of techniques: it is the practical knowledge of the flower artists that is protected. The event has also represented the territory in regional festivals dedicated to the intangible heritage of Campania.

Art, schools, and community

Alongside the volunteers, the event involves local schools through educational agreements that bring students and teachers into the creative process, and collaborates with the Academy of Fine Arts of Naples. The moral patronage of the Campania Region and the Municipality of Sant'Agata de' Goti, together with the support of the CSV Irpinia Sannio ETS, accompanies an event that remains entirely free and open to everyone.

When it takes place

The date is not fixed: it follows the liturgical calendar and falls between the end of May and the month of June, always on the weekend of Corpus Domini. Saturday is dedicated to live painting and the start of the preparations, which continue through the night; on Sunday, the village can be visited all day, until the evening procession. In 2025 the event took place on June 21 and 22, in 2026 on June 6 and 7.

Tips for your visit

• Arrive on Sunday morning: seeing the master flower artists at work is part of the show, not an extra.
• The historic center is pedestrian-only and full of paved ups and downs: comfortable shoes are essential.
• Do not step on the carpets: they are only crossed by the procession.
• Check the updates on the Società Operaia channels — in case of bad weather, the setup may be postponed.