From September 8 to 14, 2025, the villages of Carzano and Novale, in the enchanting municipality of Monte Isola, were transformed into an explosion of color thanks to thousands of handmade crepe paper flowers created by the local inhabitants. This unique tradition, which takes place every five years, renews the popular vow to the Holy Cross, made in the 19th century to express gratitude for the end of the cholera epidemic. 

During the week of the festival, arches, garlands, and flower carpets covered every street and courtyard, creating an evocative path that culminated in the solemn procession on September 14, amid lights, music, and shared devotion.

A rare event, in which faith, art, and craftsmanship come together in an atmosphere that enchants both day and night.

Once again, many of the flowers that brought this extraordinary show to life were made using Cartotecnica Rossi crepe paper, chosen for its strength, elasticity, and color depth — essential qualities for compositions displayed outdoors and lovingly created from the first petal to the last. 

Among the artists featured in this edition is Daniela Ziletti, who shared with us some photos of her work and the installations created together with the community of Monte Isola. Her creations convey the passion and patience that animate this tradition, handed down from generation to generation and always renewed with the same collective spirit.

The origins of the Feast of Santa Croce are rooted in the past: according to the most recent studies, the celebration dates back to 1836, when the inhabitants of Carzano and Novale made a vow to the Holy Cross, asking to be spared from the cholera epidemic that hit Lake Iseo hard.

Since then, every five years, the vow has been kept with an increasingly grand festival, involving the entire population and thousands of visitors.

For Cartotecnica Rossi, seeing its paper play a leading role in an event that celebrates devotion and collective creativity is a source of great pride.

It is a sign of how paper, even after almost two centuries of history, continues to be an instrument of unity, memory, and beauty.