In the small village of Spycimierz, in the Łódzkie Voivodship, the celebration of Corpus Christi has a special, colourful dimension. Every year, a carpet of thousands of flowers, more than a kilometre long, appears along the procession route. This impressive work of art is the result of a community effort on the part of the inhabitants and an expression of care for the cultural heritage of the region passed down from generation to generation. In 2021, this custom was honoured by being inscribed on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
Flower carpets in Spycimierz – history
The origins of the tradition of laying floral carpets are not clearly documented. According to oral accounts, the custom may have appeared on Polish soil in the 19th century, when inhabitants returning from Napoleonic campaigns brought back inspiration from Western Europe to colourfully decorate the route of the Christmas procession. Other accounts place the beginning of this practice in the inter-war period or at the beginning of the 20th century. The earliest written record, however, comes from the parish chronicle dated 1957. Originally, the procession route was decorated with twigs and yellow sand. Over the years, the compositions became more and more elaborate and elaborate, and from the second half of the 20th century, flowers became the dominant material. Today, the whole parish participates in the creation of the carpets, and work begins just a few days before the feast.
Working together and preparing
The tradition of laying floral carpets is deeply rooted in the religiosity of the local community and is seen as an offering made ‘to the glory of God’. Whole families, both elderly residents and children, are involved in the preparations. Some parishioners grow flowers especially for the event, while others are collected from meadows, gardens, forests and roadsides. Natural materials such as bark, mosses, leaves, twigs and cereals are also collected. The flowers are stored in cool areas, usually in cellars and barns. Sketches of the designs are made directly on the ground with white chalk, sometimes using stencils. Sand and earth are used to keep the compositions in shape. It is interesting to note that white sand from former sand dunes located around the village is still used today.
Carpets in Spycimierz – a symbol of community and identity
The laying of the floral carpets in Spycimierz does not have a single person coordinating the activities. The procession route is divided into sections assigned to specific families or groups of residents. Some sections, such as the area around the altars or the vicarage, are decorated by people from the surrounding villages and, in recent years, also by foreign visitors, such as the Italians from Infioritalia. The patterns on the carpets are also evolving. In the past, floral motifs dominated, but today religious symbols such as hosts, crosses, angels or Marian scenes are also appearing. Although inspiration is increasingly sought on the internet, for the local community the spiritual sense of the event remains paramount.
A heritage of international significance
In 2021, the tradition of laying floral carpets in Spycimierz and four towns in Opole (Klucze, Olszowa, Zalesie Śląskie and Zimna Wódka) was officially added to the UNESCO list. The decision was announced during the 16th session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Protection of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Paris. This distinction strengthens the position of the Spycimier tradition on the cultural map of Europe and mobilises the community to nurture it and pass it on to future generations.
Source: spycimierskiebozecialo.pl
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