The story says that a young Florentine names Pazzino, a member of the noble Pazzi family, who during the First Crusade in the Holy War of 1099, proved to have great courage. He was the first to climb up on the walls of Jerusalem, and lift up the Christian banner. In honor of this brave act, the young man received three splinters from the Holy Sepulcher from Godfrey of Bouillon, which today are conserved in the Church of the Holy Apostles. After the liberation of Jerusalem, on the occasion of Holy Saturday, the Crusaders gathered in prayer delivered the Benedictine Fire to everyone, symbolizing the purification of souls.
On the occasion of this ancient folk tradition, hundreds of spectators both tourists and locals, gather in the main square to watch the colorful spectacle offered to them by the city of Florence on Easter Day. This ceremony dates back to the Easter custom of the Florentines who came to the cathedral and lit a small torch from the Holy Fire (ignited with sparks caused by the rubbing of three stones), then go in procession through the city and bring the holy fire to every home. Through time the holiday has been enhanced increasingly. The Brindellone, decorated cart, (2-3 story tower-shaped tank) was then introduced, it was first made in 1622 and is pulled by two oxen adorned with garlands around the streets of Florence, to Piazza del Duomo, precisely in the space that lies between the baptistery and the cathedral.
Superstition predicts that if the ritual proceeds regularly, there will be a fruitful, rich and abundant harvest for the year. The last time the ceremony did not go as expected was in 1966 (the year when a terrible floor took place in November, which wreaked havoc and damage not only on the city of Florence, but also most of Tuscany).
