Pentecost, Sunday 19 May at the Pantheon in Rome the rain of rose petals

The petals, which end up dyeing the entire pavement of the Basilica an intense red, as always, give life to a unique and exciting show due to its beauty full of symbolism

ROME – Magical atmosphere at the Pantheon for Pentecost Sunday thanks to the traditional rain of rose petals. To celebrate the descent of the Holy Spiriton the Madonna and the Apostles in the Christian religion, this year too, on the 19th of May, the evocative rain of rose petals returns  al Pantheon – Basilica of Santa Maria ad Martyres< /a>. As usual, immediately after the Holy Chapter Mass at 10.30 am,around 12 noon the Fire Brigades will drop from the Oculus, the circular opening with a diameter of 9 meters which opens on the top of the dome of the Pantheon, thousands of red rose petals.

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The petals, which end up dyeing the entire pavement of the Basilica an intense red, as always, give life to a unique and exciting show due to its beauty full of symbolism. The rite, which is approximately two thousand years old, derives from the celebrations of the first Christians in Rome, according to whom the roses represented the Holy Spirit, and symbolizes the blood shed by Christ for the redemption of ‘humanity.

The poetic rain of petals from the Oculus, “the eye of the sky”, of the splendid Roman monument, as well as sealing one of the most important Catholic anniversaries since 1995, the year in which it was restored, it has once again represented an event full of evocative charm and spiritual meaning dear both to the Romans and to pilgrims and tourists from all over the world. Given the large participation in the celebration, which ends with the falling of red rose petals from the oculus of the dome, the faithful will have to reach the Basilica at 9.00 am. Entry will be permitted until the permitted capacity is reached; priests who intend to concelebrate will be in the Basilica no later than 9.30 am.