L'Italo-Americano

THURSDAY, APRIL 2, 2020 www.italoamericano.org 20 L'Italo-Americano T he vigorous cele- b r a t i o n s o f P a s q u a a n d P a s q u e t t a i n I t a l y — E a s t e r and the Monday after Easter — are as much a part of the season of renewal as any of nature's predictable procla- mations. It's a time of awakening. Vibrant green spills over the Italian countryside almost overnight as if a heavenly saint spilled a bucketful of p a i n t f r o m a b o v e . N e w growth wriggles from bare g r a p e v i n e s a n n o u n c i n g promise of bountiful new wine in the fall, while silvery o l i v e t r e e s s h a k e a w a k e under the mindful pruning of their careful masters. It's life...new life in a new sea- son! P a s q u a c e l e b r a t i o n s i n Italy vary from the serious religious observations of La S e t t i m a n a S a n t a ( T h e Holy Week) to the fun and merry making of colorful festivals and carnivals. In much of predominately Catholic Italy, the Thursday before Easter is commemo- rated with a 3:00 pm mass observing the Last Supper of Christ. Other traditions play o u t a s H o l y W e e k i s observed, finalizing with the c u l m i n a t i o n o f E a s t e r Sunday. Dear to many is the late a f t e r n o o n G o o d F r i d a y m a s s g i v e n b y t h e P o p e . Directly afterward, a proces- sion known as Via Crucis originates at the Palatine Hill and concludes at the Colosseum. The serpentine t r a i l o f p i l g r i m s b e a r i n g torchlight mystically high- l i g h t s t h e s o b e r d a y o f Christ's crucifixion. Other Easter traditions vary from region to region, although many include pro- cessions and parades fol- lowed by feasts. Looking for something far removed from m o r e s t o i c o b s e r v a t i o n s ? G r a b a s p o t a f r o n t S a n t a M a r i a D e l l a F i o r e , Florence's Duomo, to wit- ness Scoppio del Carro — the fiery explosion of a pro- c e s s i o n a l c a r t f i l l e d w i t h fireworks. If that's a bit too h e a t e d , h e a d o v e r t o Panicale in Umbria to cheer on the participants of the Ruzzolone game as they roll cheese wheels around the city walls. At least no one goes hungry! Pasquetta, the Monday a f t e r E a s t e r , i s p e r h a p s Italy's most beloved secular event. As the saying goes, "Natale con i tuoi, a Pasqua con chi vuoi"... At Christmas with your relatives, Easter ( o r P a s q u e t t a ) i s w i t h whomever you want. Picnics i n t h e p a r k w i t h f r i e n d s commence over Easter lunch leftovers while it's almost a requirement to convene out- doors with revelry and fun to welcome spring. T r a d i t i o n a l a n d s o b e r , secular and light-hearted, the Italian culture's ability to celebrate any season with passion, gusto, and together- ness is an integral fiber that weaves the country into a tightly knit community. Togetherness. This is how life is in Italy. From morning caffé at the bar, to elbow-knocking-elbow lunch in a trattoria, to aperitivo and the passeggiata — Italy knows how to do together- ness in many beautiful ways. However... A c o u n t r y n o w r e e l i n g u n d e r t h e u n s p e a k a b l e tribulations of a microscopic beast, COVID-19, Italy has been brought to an unprece- d e n t e d h a l t . " R e s t a r e a casa" is mandated. Schools, businesses, museums, the- atres — anything that brings souls together is banned for a period unknown. Streets that were teeming with life a n d t o u r i s t s a n d b u z z i n g vespas are silent, deserted. How, then, does any nor- malcy exist as the season warms — the celebrations that have marked its arrival, its observances, for thou- sands of years, now declared canceled? As we've seen over t h e p a s t w e e k s , t h e resiliency of the Italian populace has shown itself in numerous beautiful ways: b a l c o n y c o n c e r t s , a c t s o f k i n d n e s s f r o m l a r g e t o s m a l l , h u m o r a m i d s t t h e sadness. And so, the same spirit is busily at work figuring ways to carry on in this temporary nightmarish normal. Many of us have friends and family in Italy. As we've watched from afar, we've seen beauty unfold in multi- ple ways through individu- als, businesses, museums, and corporations. I queried several Italian f r i e n d s : h o w d i d t h e y remain hopeful, how were they going to manage the Pasqua season. The message was the same: we find ways, w e s t a y s t r o n g , w e h a v e hope...and this applies to r e i n v e n t e d P a s q u a a n d Pasquetta celebrations. S i l v i a T r a f i c a n t e i s a mother of two, a business e x e c u t i v e l i v i n g w i t h h e r PAULA REYNOLDS Pasqua – a season of hope LIFE PEOPLE PLACES HERITAGE Easter traditions, this year, are placed on hold because of the coronavirus emergency Continued to page 24

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