Il Capodanno Fiorentino (Florentine New Year)

The city of Florence celebrates the First Day of the Year twice: on January 1, as all the other cities all around the world, and on March 25.

You are probably wondering how it’s possible to celebrate the beginning of the year twice in the same year… and in fact it’s not a usual thing. But there is a reason for this and, as for many other things that happen in Florence, that reason comes from the past.

History

During the Middle Ages the first day of the year in Florence was the 25th of March. It is the day dedicated to the religious celebration of the Annunciation of the Virgin Mary, moment of the incarnation of the Lord: it’s in fact exactly nine months before Christmas. On that date the Florentine people went to the Basilica della SS.ma Annunziata to adore the frescoed scene of the angel Gabriel announcing to Mary her conception.

In 1582 the Gregorian calendar was introduced and set the beginning of the year on January 1, but Florence, a city notoriously proud of its traditions, continued to consider March 25 as the first day of the year until 1749, when the Grand Duke Francis III of Lorraine put an end to this practice by requiring a decree to conform Florence to the other cities.

Tradition

Nowadays also the proud Florence’s inhabitants celebrate the New Year’s Day on January 1, but March 25 is still one of the institutional festivity of Florence and it’s called Capodanno Fiorentino (Florentine New Year). The celebration includes a parade that starts from the Palagio di Parte Guelfa, run through the city and get to the Basilica della SS.ma Annunziata, in memory of the pilgrimage that many people made to venerate the Virgin Mary.

It is certainly meant to be a city celebration addressed to its own inhabitants, because it keeps alive an ancient religious and civil tradition, but it is undoubtedly fascinating even for a tourist to observe the procession and be a part of the wonderful story of Florence, at least for one day.