Italy is famous for its spectacular Easter celebrations, with Italians flocking to churches and taking to the streets in parades to commemorate the most important week in the Christian calendar.
All over the peninsula, both in large cities and tiny villages, processions weave their way through narrow streets, ancient old towns and main squares until finally they arrive at the local Cathedral.
Furthermore, Easter also signals the arrival of Spring, and many pagan traditions that used to mark the arrival of the “beautiful season” have been incorporated into the religious festivities.
Vatican City is a major draw for visitors during Holy Week, but all over Italy there are religious processions and services – some traditional, some not-so-much.
Each region has a interesting holy week schedule with rituals, processions, and with thousands passion plays on Good Friday throughout Italy (read more about Easter in Puglia, Campania, Florence, Sardinia
Easter Sunday is a big deal in Italy, but it doesn’t start there. Holy Week begins the Sunday before, on Palm Sunday, and there are religious services and processions throughout the week leading up to Easter.
Festivities continue throughout Holy Week, culminating on Easter Sunday, when families enjoy a lunch based on roast lamb and specially-prepared cakes. Pasquetta (Easter Monday) is traditionally the first chance for a spring outing in the year, when Italians head for parks, woods and nature reserves to have a picnic.
Easter Events In Italy
La Madonna Che Scappa (The Dashing Madonna)
The La Madonna che Scappa ceremony has been taking place since the 11th century, organised by the Santa Maria di Loreto Brotherhood, whose male members the Lauretani wear white tunics with a shiny green cape to symbolise purity & hope. It’s interesting that the younger members seem instructed not to wear earrings although individuals’ sneaky bangles & bracelets remain semi-visible under all the symbolic robes.
Rito Della Passione (Passion Play)
More than 100 locals participate in a re-enactment of Christ’s Passion in the small town of Barile in southern Italy. They march through town dressed as Biblical characters in a procession that lasts three miles. The parade is led by men dressed as centurions on horseback and stops at various points to act out parts of the Gospel stories. The Biblical figures are joined by two fictitious characters: the Moro (Moor), who represents evil, and the Zingara (Gypsy), who collected the nails from the cross, according to tradition.
Processione Dei Misteri (Procession Of The Mysteries)
The Procession of the Mysteries is held in the city of Trapani in Sicily. It starts at 2pm on Good Friday and continues for almost 24 hours. It is the longest religious event in Italy and one of the oldest. Twenty floats carrying groups of statues, known as the ‘Misteri’ (Mysteries) that represent the events of the Passion and Crucifixion, are paraded through the city, starting out from and finishing at the Church of Del Purgatorio.
Sacra Rappresentazione Del Venerdì Santo (Sacred Representation Of Good Friday)
The Good Friday procession held in Valmontone’s historic centre on Good Friday evening takes its inspiration from medieval times. Hundreds of locals participate, reciting texts based on the Holy Scriptures following the events of Christ’s life culminating in the events of the Passion, from the Last Supper to the Resurrection.
