L'Italo-Americano

www.italoamericano.org 8 THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 2022 L'Italo-Americano F or Catholics, East- e r i s t h e m o s t i m p o r t a n t c e l e - b r a t i o n o f t h e y e a r . Y e s , e v e n more important than Christ- mas. In it, we remember the resurrection of Jesus Christ, which is considered by the faithful the ultimate proof of His divine nature. While Italians, just like m a n y o t h e r s a r o u n d t h e world, are perhaps no longer as connected to their spiritual side as their ancestors, tradi- tional celebrations of reli- gious festivities remain an important cultural point of reference for entire commu- nities. During Holy Week, the seven days that anticipate Easter Sunday, many towns and villages across the Boot take part in traditional repre- sentations, rituals, and pro- cessions, which have been part of their heritage for cen- turies. For the faithful, these are a way to meditate, wor- ship, and pray during the most spiritually-charged time of the year; for everyone else, they remain an important cultural staple, a sign of how people are still attached to t h e i r h i s t o r y , d e s p i t e t h e passing of time. F o r t h o s e n o t f a m i l i a r with Catholic lingo, Holy Week is the seven days that, from Palm Sunday lead to E a s t e r S u n d a y . O n P a l m Sunday, Catholics remember t h e d a y J e s u s e n t e r e d Jerusalem. On the following Thursday, they celebrate the Last Supper; on the Friday (Good Friday), the Crucifix- ion, and, on Sunday, Holy Easter. Here, we propose five i n t e r e s t i n g d e s t i n a t i o n s , from North to South, to take part in Holy Week celebra- tions and bring together cul- ture, heritage, history, and Faith. Savona (Liguria) Savona is an important port town in Liguria where the traditional Good Friday procession has been cele- b r a t e d s i n c e t h e M i d d l e Ages. It takes place only on even years and it involves all the confraternite, local reli- g i o u s a s s o c i a t i o n s w i t h ancient historical origins. In the early centuries of its exis- tence, starting in the 1200s, the procession had a strong penitential connotation, with flagellants and plenty of the- atrical and profane elements. Later on, around the 17th century, the focus returned to the spiritual, a connota- tion that is still maintained today. What characterizes t h e e v e n t a r e t h e m a n y sculptural elements carried on shoulders around the city. The one opening the proces- sion is always the Croce della P a s s i o n e , w h i l e t h e o n e a l w a y s c o n c l u d i n g i t i s the Arca Santa Croce, which c o n t a i n s w h a t t r a d i t i o n wants to be a fragment of the Holy Cross. For more infor- mation on the event, you can c h e c k o u t i t s w e b s i t e a t : w w w . p r o c e s s i o n e v e n - erdisantosavona.it. O r t e ( V i t e r b o , T u s - cany) It is believed that the Pro- cessione del Cristo Morto in Orte is one of the oldest reli- gious celebrations in Italy, kept alive by local confrater- nite since the beginning of t h e 1 3 t h c e n t u r y . O n t h e e v e n i n g o f G o o d F r i d a y , Orte's lights are all turned off and the procession begins and develops at candlelight. A m o n g t h e c o n f r a t e r n i t e participating in the event, there is also the Confraterni- ta di Santa Croce, which has celebrated its 850th anniver- sary in 2015, making it the oldest of all confraternities in the country. About 500 people, between confraterni- t y m e m b e r s a n d a c t o r s impersonating Mary Magda- lene, Veronica, and the Vir- gin Mary among others, take part in the procession, fol- lowed by the faithful and many tourists interested in t h e e v e n t . Y o u c a n r e a d more about it on the proces- s i o n ' s o f f i c i a l webpage: www.confraterni- teorte.it. S u l m o n a ( L ' A q u i l a , Abruzzo) Sulmona is home to one of the most curious tradi- tional celebrations of our E a s t e r , t h e R u n n i n g Madonna, la Madonna che S c a p p a . T h e e v e n t t a k e s place on Easter Sunday in t h e c e n t r a l t o w n s q u a r e , P i a z z a G a r i b a l d i , a n d i s organized by the Confrater- nità di Santa Maria di Lore- to. While the origins of the tradition may date back to the 17th century, we only have documented proof of i t s e x i s t e n c e s i n c e 1 8 6 1 , thanks to a photo kept in the confraternity's archives. The Running Madonna wants to r e p r e s e n t t h e m e e t i n g between Mary and her resur- rected Son. It all starts at 11 am on Easter morning with a procession that ends in Piaz- za Garibaldi, where the stat- u e o f t h e V i r g i n M a r y i s brought out of the Church, covered in a dark cloak. At midday, thanks to a secret mechanism only members of the confraternity know, the cloak falls and the statue is carried by running confratel- li towards a statue of Christ o n t h e o t h e r s i d e o f t h e square. The ritual symbolizes the moment when Mary rec- ognizes her Son after the res- urrection. Procida (Naples, Cam- pania) Procida's Processione dei Misteri is one of the most well-known Holy Week cele- brations in the country. It first took place in the 17th century and, since then, it h a s b e e n o r g a n i z e d b y t h e C o n f r a t e r n i t à d e l l ' Immacolata Concezione. It is a day-long celebration, d u r i n g w h i c h a l l e g o r i c a l floats and statues represent- ing episodes of the Gospels and the Old Testament move around the town's streets, carried and accompanied by members of the confraterni- ty. Taranto (Apulia) Last but not least, beauti- f u l T a r a n t o , h o m e t o t h e P r o c e s s i o n e d e l Perdono, or Procession of Forgiveness, and the Proces- sione dei Misteri, the Pro- cession of the Mysteries. The event takes place on Holy Thursday, with a procession that starts in the early after- noon when the Confraterni- ta del Carmine visits the Holy Sepulchers prepared in each Church of the city (the Holy Sepulchers are, usually, f l o w e r s o r o t h e r a r t i s t i c arrangements symbolizing the tomb of Christ, prepared by the faithful in the days before Holy Thursday). Par- ticipants walk barefoot and with their heads covered in a white hood. The climax of the ritual is the Processione d e i M i s t e r i , w h i c h t a k e s p l a c e i n t h e e v e n i n g a n d lasts until the early hours of Saturday morning. Good Friday celebrations in the South of Italy (Photo: Ohmaymay/Dreamstime) Holy Week in Italy, between Faith and tradition FRANCESCA BEZZONE LIFE PEOPLE PLACES HERITAGE

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