Sowing and cultivation. Ancient gestures, related to our history, like religious tradition. These meet in the village of the Marche, Corinaldo, where, every year the faithful have the opportunity to cultivate the “Easter Seeds“, ie seeds of wheat, vetch, chickpeas and field beans that are made available in small bags from the church of S Francesco after the Ash Wednesday function.
This tradition, which is linked to the so-called “Sepolcri”, consists in cultivating the seeds all together in a small vase, with little soil, in a dark place, like an old shelf or in a closet. The seeds should be watered as little as possible, and, the fragile white seedlings that will be born, will adorn the altar where the Eucharist is kept in the churches of the territory, on Holy Thursday.
These seedlings contain a profound message linked to the dialectic of darkness and light. Remaining in the dark for forty days and becoming white as they grow, they evoke an imaginary desert and then light up with their white color. Furthermore, taking care of these delicate plants gives joy and satisfaction to both adults and children, passing on a culture that makes this time of year and this territory even more special.
A simple gesture that takes us back to the past, to a slower life, uniting different generations, taking care of nature and tradition.
Photo from valmisa.com
