Ritual: Baptism
Site: Battistero di San Giovanni
Location: Florence
Architect: Unknown
Year of Completion: c. 1128
Analysis: Tina Lim
150 word description goes here. Achum consulto ves faturi pria vignos complius con se aucest rehebatam te iam fue con vium percer am tam terbis, quonsul usulare ntilicaet, cuperei publincum, consimus, nostriore mei ilneque a volicio mus conerit, publin denatod itentes, qua actum init; ne ine pro, manum iam o inam ignaturis adem re ius consum inulocrem sedit vivatimmodiu sedit et prata cont nicatiq uemus, dium ingultortus nos etorterit, omprorunit gra dit atu morum ductam Romnihilium pernum inam etorae nem des M. Nostra in sus. Alessolus, o ves cotandenemus bondac in Itam. Sertamquam or ublicultus publin vernius, nos, sente it; C. Hoculis? Romnirita ne ina, quam patiam sedem que confirit, uropore morei cem, nor ad Catus muscred cris culicaesi imuricendam tam it, quitata sdaccio, mederior qui catus morterum omnicaes! Duc re cus es!
The Laurentian Library reveals not only the ritual of study, but the rituals of self-sorting, categorization, and the dissemination of knowledge. Mapping the convergence and divergence of paths from the scale of the city to the building to the desk and to the book helps to reveal how the Laurentian Library acts as a motherboard for organizing the ritual circuitry of Renaissance Florence.
The Library’s desks are crucial to how rituals are performed in the space. Because the books are chained to the desks and the desks are built into the architecture, there is direct connection between the knowledge that one seeks and the place where it is found. The desks categorize texts by subject, displaying titles found in them on the side. Accessing a book that’s next to the window while someone is already in the desk requires shuffling places.
The Laurentian Library’s form is reminiscent of a religious building, with reading desks acting as pews alongside the processional aisle. The language borrows from the religious context of the San Lorenzo complex in which the Library is situated. In fact, the original plan of Michelangelo included a triangular rare books room at the end of the reading room, reminiscent of the Holiest of Holies in the Temple of Solomon. The procession inside the library, up the flowing staircase into the reading room, acts as a funnel that all elite Florentines coming to the library must pass through, regardless of where they came from in the city or what bench is their ultimate destination. The tripartite interior facade of the vestibule reinforces the idea of rising from hell to purgatory to heaven in an ascent to knowledge.
Ultimately, the Laurentian Library acts as the motherboard of the city’s knowledge, centralizing and organizing the ritual circuitry of Renaissance Florence.
Ritual: Feast of the Redeemer
Site: Il Redentore
Location: Venice
Architect: Palladio
Year of Completion: 1592
Analysis: Andrea Herrada
The Feast of the Redeemer dates back to the 1500s, when, at the height of a devasting plague, the Venetian Senate decided to erect a church dedicated to Christ the Redeemer for the purpose of public devotion. It was thought that doing this would bring the end of the plague. Until that time, the plague had killed 50,000 people in a span of 2 years so it was believed by the Doge of Venice that prayer would bring the end of the plague. It was promised that, if the plague ended, the church would be built and the Doge would make a procession in order to show gratitude. So, at the end of the plague in July 1577, it was decided to celebrate the end annually with the construction of a votive bridge to make the procession to Il Redentore on the island of Giudecca.
The modern day ritual consists of the opening of the votive bridge, followed by the crossing of the public to the steps of the Redentore. At the steps, the Patriarch of Venice gives a blessing in order the inaugurate celebrations each year. The rest of the weekend celebrations continue with an evening mass presided over by the Patriarch and a finale of the famous fireworks display. The festival generally concludes with three regattas with historic Venetian boats. For most, the main attractions are the crossing of the bridge, the fireworks in the basin of San Marco, and final regattas.
Because the ritual procession across the votive bridge was created after the construction of Il Redentore, the ritual consists mostly of building the votive bridge, crossing to the church, and attending a votive mass. Although there is a mass and a Eucharistic celebration, the procession has become more of a ritualistic celebration rather than a procession of devotion for the end of a dark time. As time has passed, the ritual is now a reason to celebrate the life and history of the city
