HÆC DIES

Only a perfumer like Sorcinelli could offer simultaneously both a profound meditation on the Resurrection of Christ and an intimate fragrance which confidently extends the borders of his art. The fragrance itself is conceived as an olfactory evocation of the scene on Easter Day: the costly ointments prepared for the anointing of the body of Jesus. Its presentation offers symbolic representations of the Easter Gospel: the cap recalls the stone rolled away from Christ's tomb and the wrapping, the linen cloths that covered his body . Even its name is taken from a text used in the Easter liturgy, drawn ultimately from Psalm 18 : 'Haec dies quam fecit Dominus; exultemus et laetemur in ea'. ('This is the day the Lord has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.') Sorcinelli is strongly influenced by his Catholic roots. His childhood revolved around church activities in a small town of in his native Italy. Steeped in Catholic liturgy, he flirted for a time with the priesthood, then had successive/parallel careers as a church organist, a perfumer and maker of liturgical vestments. At the same time he has been strongly influenced by a creative Goth subculture, manifesting art and design which treads a provocative line between a sensitive and inclusive aesthetic and dark-clad, edgy kickback against political/religious control. Sorcinelli's fragrances seem to emerge from this creative matrix and Haec Dies is no exception. It presents a fascinating play on the notion of Osmogenesia, or the Odour of Sanctity - the sweet and pure aroma that traditionally arose from the corpses of Christian saints. The risen Jesus had no need of the perfumes which his followers had prepared to mask the stench of corruption because his body was transformed from death into a new life. And whereas conventional Christianity originally discouraged the wearing of perfume as indulgent and posing a danger to virtue, Sorcinelli boldly asserts its transformative power. Just as the ordinary stuff of resin is transformed into fragrant incense smoke (a very catholic-sacramental thing to happen), the person who burns the incense is caught up in a moment of piety or faith. Likewise, the person who indulges in rich fragrances enters into a moment that suspends ordinary awareness and opens out the potential for an ecstatic experience. Far from being absent from the body (and hating its capacity for sin and death), this experience - like sex - is visceral, physical and celebratory. Sorcinelli's transgressive instinct restores the body and its desires to their proper place in the Christian tradition. Enough theology! The fragrance itself presents a cornucopia of sensory pleasures. It opens with a froth of Spring freshness: citrus and Spring blossom set the sweet tone that deepens with successive waves of rosy incense, without any of the spiciness of Reliqvia or coolness of LAVS from the same house. The dry down is a long, lingering- and very contemporary- bathe in powdery, vanillic and ambery notes. It remains on the skin all through the day and into the night. Perfectly sweet, perfectly unisex, perfectly constructed. Exultemus et laetemur in ea! Alleluia!

The opening feels fresh and uplifting with aloe, citrus, and a touch of jasmine. After a while, the peach and rose come forward, giving it a juicy sweetness, while myrrh and cedar add a subtle resinous warmth. As it dries down, I get a smooth blend of vanilla, musk with just enough sandalwood and patchouli to keep it grounded. On my skin, it lasts a solid 7–10 hours, projecting softly but steadily. It feels powdery, airy, and elegant throughout—never heavy, just beautifully balanced. To me, it’s refined yet comforting, something I could wear all day without it ever becoming overwhelming.

Creamsicle and sweet tarts. I really get the orange, peach, aloe, and vanilla. It’s nice, powdery and sweet. My only issue with it is that it seems to disappear after 30 mins of wearing. I don’t really get any of the woody or patchouli notes. It’s light and airy and very pretty. I just wish it lasted longer and projected more.

does any one have a problem with the atomizer, mine stopped spraying just after 2 uses.

waking from enchanted sleep in titania’s bower with floral salve behind my ears