At Whitsun, the catholic Italian people commemorate the descent of the Holy Spirit from heaven, and a beautiful ritual has been devised to herald the Whitsun weekend in Rome. During the Whitsun mass, the Roman fire brigade drops thousands of rose petals down into the Pantheon. This symbolises the 'fiery tongues' sent by the Holy Spirit to Mary and the Apostles at Whitsun.

A visit to the Pantheon in Rome at Whitsun is a beautiful experience which everyone should be able to experience. However, you don't need to head to Italy for the delicious food served after the service: you can make that yourself.

Simply invite your famiglia and amici, fill your home with red roses and cook a fantastic Whitsun dinner together. You could start with a fish soup from Ancona, followed by a summery Anglerfish rolled in Parma ham with pesto and round off the festive occasion with a refreshing Torta di Limone.