EASTER+IN+SICILY

=  Easter in Sicily   =

The rituals of Easter in Sicily - the long space of time which goes from Palm Sunday to Good Friday and Sunday of the Resurrection - are presented as a narrative of the Christian religious commemoration, but also reference to a pre-Christian ritual where the symbolic word Easter is a synthesis of renewal, transit from one phase to the death of nature (winter) to a phase of life and awakening (spring) as a passage which in the pagan perspective, it is explained by the death and rebirth of God A syncretism, this representative sample of so-called "Gardens of Adonis" found in Tombs, where, from Holy Thursday, next to the symbols that recall the Last Supper, do, indeed, a fine show of seedlings rather than thin and fragile than a faded green color, for wheat seed or grain left to germinate in the dark, are explicit references to the vital energy of the growing season which is celebrated revivescenza just in time for Easter. Adonis, not surprisingly, the mythical God is beautiful and impressive with his sperm that fertilizes the Earth Goddess. And in this context that the ritual giudiaico and local traditions related to the celebration of the awakening of nature fit together, there is no town, village, city or district that does not feel the need of expressing their religious feelings of participation in a time that is sacred because cyclical, that is active far beyond the limits of its linearity to "human scale" ritual, because the founding of life after death. We are, in other words, in the presence of those "Holy Week" where everything happens according to a script that fee is reversed, and in a commingled folk and liturgical elements of official data, the "good" triumphs over "evil", the ' Angelo "dispels the" Devil "and" Death "is defeated by the" Life ". And because the fabric of popular religion is by definition "experience" that is to say away from the rigidity of canonical forms of the official Church commemorating the cycle of the Passion, Death and Resurrection of Jesus is made visible through specific forms of dramatizations which shows the dominant earthly and human content of the Event: Sicily so that then becomes a big part of the stage and moving scenes of suffering and joy. It already begins with Palm Sunday. Gangi A, for example, a charming country madonita, this moment is remembered with a great procession of brotherhoods, with traditional banners and shirts with portraits of the patron saints, Jesus, to accompany a young man who, by mule, reaches Piazza the square of the matrix to ritually repeat the entry of Jesus into Jerusalem. Large blades el'ulivo woven palm, are signs of a festive atmosphere, tradition has it that the "Palm Sunday" is sporting a new suit. But the fleeting moment is: will no longer be allowed to have fun after the trapassu oblige their fast in a time of passion, at least three days. The following Wednesday, in Caltanissetta, then held the important ritual of the "Real Maestranza 'which celebrates the man and his work. In the street performance scene, the "masters of art" undress the clothes of everyday wear for those "wedding" (black suit, white shirt, black bow tie) and, category by category (painters, carpenters, masons, carpenters, carpenters, Ferraioli, shoemakers, blacksmiths, bakers, plumbers, barbers) parade behind their captain, that the craftsman who, for a day, represents them all, and contends with the Mayor the power to control the Community. Behind him is the regiment of its representatives in an almost military order, even in memory function once delegated to the important public policy hierarchy. In the afternoon of the apparent secular ceremony is steeped in the religious sentiment of the Procession of the so-called "varicedde, small groups of plaster and papier-mâché that parade at dusk on the path of" Vare ", that is the route that followed the day after imposing the sixteen groups more statues of the procession. These groups, each assigned to a workforce, are due to two talented sculptors from Naples, Francesco and Vincenzo Biancardi, father and son commissioned by the miners' Gessolungo "- the" old "Caltanissetta based its economy on the extraction of sulfur -, began to attend to this work since 1780. They reproduce the most important moments in Way of the Cross. Equally famous, if not more, and also focused on the procession of the sculptures are also assigned to the classes, is the Procession of the Mysteries of Trapani, which takes place on Good Friday: I am 20 "Vare", weighing nearly a ton each, which the porters accompanying a route, made sacred by tradition, since the exit of the Church of Purgatory, with a trend swinging the annacata, made of hard work and sweat, accompanied by the poignant music of the bands. In Trapani, the bestowal of the faithful moved its extreme fatigue, we understand the great significance of the ancestral quid pro quo that governs the popular religion: giving everything themselves, even their physicality, as an ex voto offering, in exchange for protection and depart from evil. Processions with the sculptures are not, however, that a small part of many, many rituals that Thursday and Good Friday ceremonies to evoke the passion and death of Jesus enter the scene that is also "sacred representations" which present, with a series of "parts" recited a kind of historical re-enactment of the sacred event. Since the rite of the Last Supper (with the institution of the Eucharist), then the washing of feet, the symbolic transfer at Gethsemane, the betrayal of Judas and the subsequent capture, the transfer to the council, then the process, the Calvary, the agony and death of Jesus, to the deposition and burial. The all mimed scinnenze by living characters. Exemplary in this sense, the representation of sacred Partanna Mondello (PA) which is organized with the support of many actors and extras. But sometimes the size of the pain appears less to build, then explode the many, many procession, with statues and Vare the "Dead Christ" and the "'Sorrow" to repeat the vain how desperate anguish of the Mother of your Son private. Even in Palermo, in the historic and picturesque processions are held important. They should remember that for all of St. Rua Maria Soledad in Cheese, organized by the brotherhood, echo the ancient Spanish city, and that of S. Maria dell'Itria Whately dating back to 1594 which builds on Laurel Street, that is the noble path of Palermo whose dependencies were precisely the coachmen. And, then, are the "funeral" and "laments" that a number of forms and ethnomusical etnopoetiche action that the processional comfort and vocally reminiscent of the time of the Passion and Death, accentuating the pathos of the narrative. Singers are men de lu Lamentu, with a singular expression polyphonic solo singer, the voice, in the second, and the chorus consists of five six other different voices, but also women singing storyteller, as he said Pitre in their lament is indeed sense Mother of great sorrow that darkens into a dirge almost obsessive. In a famous lament of shares known as Li Madonna is amazing moving image of a mother who asks the Son did it happen that Jews and Devils hitters have been scourged from head to toe so that the sorrowful, lamenting listing of shares is torn underlined by a sad refrain that you feel like a sweet lullaby rhythm. It 'good to say but at this point that is really popular in the processions of the liturgy reaches its climax, recovering additional valuable features depictions of the ritual pre-existing condition, connected to a ceremonial land. Consider, exemplary, to the "Christ of the band" Pietraperzia (Enna), organized by the ancient Brotherhood of Blessed Mary of Help and Agonizzanti which involves taking a procession in Christ placed on top of a long pole (carried on the shoulders 100 people and kept in balance by about 300 white bands), where the auction is in unison the tree and the tree, both symbols of generation through the living cosmos. Holy Saturday is a day of reflection even at midnight, part of the Eucharistic rite, is the Descent of the Web that provides the Resurrection. And if the risen Christ is announced by a large bells, children, as if to recall the vital energy that sublimates the Passover, a tradition that we want to talk with an inaugural Crisci Ranni (grow big). Finally on Easter Sunday, a little everywhere, at 12, in the squares of the municipalities of the island, it represents the meeting of Mary, free from signs of mourning, with the risen Jesus. This event known as the Paci (and also the Junta, or n'Ncontru depending on the area) is fascinating, and among many others, it should be remembered if only for its originality - the procession of Sampauluna, San Cataldo, giant papier-mache representing the eleven apostles (excluding Judas), which carried on shoulders by devotees, accompanied by a complex route to the encounter with the risen Son Madonna. In practice the rites of Easter Sunday can be read as the concluding acts of the great theme of rebirth altogether. The victory of life over death is very visible for example in the ritual of them dell'Abballu diavuli, Prizzi's where death is personified like angels and devils and where it proposes a real conflict between the forces of Good and Evil with the final defeat of the latter and the expected reunification of the Mother and Son, describing a time and found an order. Again, to clarify the message of rebirth of nature, well suited Arches Easter Platani San Biagio (AG), which proposes three centuries now the great challenge of Madunnara Signurara and for those making the most beautiful decorations: they are, these triangles Ferla interwoven with reeds, lined with borders decorated with sour oranges and bread, NIMP of dates, white Marmur. Are in other words, exemplary display of food to establish the triumph of a land that has returned to produce. The day of Easter is, shows specific signs of abundance. And the fertility of the land so openly flaunted, also refers to the joyful woman's fertility explicit call to his ancestral and also eternally present role as a mother. This is the message, quite clearly, be read in the "feast of Schett (bachelor) of Terrasini, where young boys on Easter Sunday, should raise a tree decorated with bows and decorated up to the balcony of his beloved for her to detach a branch and then to agree in this case for marriage. In conclusion, after so much variety and multiplicity of ceremonies, one can say that living the Easter week in Sicily is first and foremost living tradition and discover content anthropological participating, in the same time, moved and shared that way of making the religion which has always been characteristic of our people and pride.

  ** Holy Week  **  

Holy Week is the week in which the faith of Christianity celebrates the events related to the last days of Jesus, including in particular his passion, death and resurrection. Throughout the world, Catholics call the Holy Week period, from Palm Sunday to Holy Saturday, before Easter, that Sunday when we remember the Resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. The Easter is the feast of the Christian faith, and every year is celebrated the first Sunday of the new moon of spring (late March and April). The religious rites of Holy Week, are celebrated with solemnity in all the churches of the Christian world.  Palm Sunday Holy Week begins with Palm Sunday, or Sunday of the Holy Passion, in which we celebrate the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem, hailed as the Messiah and Son of David. In the Catholic liturgy is read the story of the Passion of Jesus according to the Evangelist corresponding to the liturgical cycle that you are experiencing. The tradition dates back to before the fourth century. This occasion does not mark the end of Lent, in the ordinary form of the Roman Rite and ended on Holy Thursday, just before the evening mass. Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday of Holy Week On Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday of Holy Church in particular, cover the betrayal of Judas for thirty pieces of silver. The first reading of the Mass has the first three songs of the Servant of the Lord found in the book of Isaiah (42:1-9; 49.1-6, 50.4 to 11). Maundy Thursday During the morning of Holy Thursday is not celebrated the Eucharist in parishes, it is celebrated one Mass (called the Chrism Mass) in every diocese, in the cathedral, presided by the bishop with all his priests and deacons. In this Mass the holy oils are consecrated and priests renew their promises made at the time of their ordination. The Easter Triduum Maundy Thursday The solemn Easter Triduum of the passion, death and resurrection of Christ begins in the afternoon of Holy Thursday. Evening hours in the Mass "in Cena Domini, in which he recalls the Last Supper, the institution of the Eucharist and the ministerial priesthood, and we repeat the symbolic gesture of washing the feet performed by Christ at the Last Supper. At the end of the altars are made without ornaments, crosses veiled and silent bells. The cross will be revealed the day after Good Friday during the portion of the special ceremony (on that day and that day only) replaces the adoration of the Cross in the eucharistic liturgy.       **  Good Friday  **   Friday is the day of Jesus' death on the Cross. The church celebrates three o'clock in the afternoon the solemn celebration of the Passion, which is divided into three parts: 1. The Liturgy of the Word, by reading the fourth song of the Suffering Servant of Isaiah (52:13-53:12), the Christological hymn of the Letter to the Philippians (2:6-11) and the Passion according to John. 2. The Adoration of the Cross. 3. Holy Communion with Presanctified. Good Friday is a tradition carried out in many places in the streets, the devotion of the Via Crucis. The Catholic church to fast and abstain from meat clergyman as a form of participation in the passion and death of her Lord.
 * Holy Saturday   **

Holy Saturday is traditionally the day without liturgy is not celebrated the Eucharist, the communion to the sick and goes only to the sick on his deathbed. On the night we celebrate the solemn Easter Vigil, which, in the Catholic Church, is the most important celebration of the liturgical year. In it: • We celebrate the Resurrection of Christ through the liturgy of the fire: the new fire is lit the paschal candle, which is carried in procession to church during the procession proclaiming Christ's light, and light the candles of the faithful. On arrival at the sanctuary candle and incense and proclaiming the Easter message. • The Liturgy of the Word with seven readings of the Old Testament recounts the major events of salvation history from creation of the world through the liberation of the Israelites from slavery in Egypt, the promise of the new covenant. The Epistle proclaims the new life in the Risen Christ and the Gospel we read the story of the apparition of angels to the women on Easter morning. • Following the baptismal liturgy, in which all the faithful renew their baptismal promises, and are baptized, if any, the catechumens who are preparing for the sacrament. • The Eucharistic liturgy is held as in any mass. ** Easter Sunday  **  

The Easter Sunday to echo back the joy of the Easter Vigil. This Sunday is expanded in the Octave of Easter, the Church celebrates the fullness of this crucial event for a period of eight days, concluding the Second Sunday of Easter, known since ancient times Sunday after Easter, John Paul II wished to dedicate remembrance of the Divine Mercy. Holy Week in the folk tradition Rites provided by the liturgy is accompanied by those who over the centuries the Christian piety has taken to recall the most significant moments of human passion of Christ, true Man and true God, the sincerity of these expressions of religion, the Catholic Church approves and allows the performance of these celebrations, as they contribute to strengthening and passing on the Christian faith. In the whole Catholic world, the popular tradition of Holy Week is full of songs, poems, paintings and theatrical re-enactments of the Passion of Jesus, who often have their roots in the early centuries of Christianity. Italian literature is rich in works written in prose and poetry in particular, of known and anonymous authors, inspired by the Holy Gospels which deal with the Passion of Christ, from his triumphal entry into Jerusalem, his death on the cross, burial and resurrection from the dead (see for example the famous Stabat Mater or any praise of Jacopone, dating from the thirteenth century). The story of Christ's human and divine, recalled in Holy Week, have not only inspired the work of many writers and poets from all over the world, but also musicians, painters, sculptors, architects, artists in general. In Italy numerous and often particularly striking are the representations of the Holy Week, widespread in virtually every region in which blend the elements more closely to religious components in varying degrees folklorisitiche. Among the most special and beautiful in Italy are those that take place in Umbria, for example, Sessa Aurunca or, in the province of Caserta, and in many other parts of southern Italy and Sicily (where there are significant influences Spanish) with the Processions Good Friday and Holy Saturday in Taranto, with the brothers said Pardon, which take place from Holy Thursday to Holy Saturday evening until morning; to Polistena with 11 ceremonies, including 4 in one day, one of Molfetta Friday with the procession of the Passion, Mystery of Mercy on Good Friday and Holy Saturday, to Bitonto Friday with the procession of the Passion, and the procession of the Mysteries and Gala, respectively dawn and on the evening of Friday, the characteristics of Catanzaro, San Fratello, Enna, Caltanissetta, Trapani, Noicattaro and Vico del Gargano. Numerous centers of Sardinia celebrate the rites of Holy Week: the most important ones of Cagliari, Castelsardo, Iglesias, Domusnovas  Easter Procession of the Mysteries in Montelepre

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Cambria','serif'; font-size: 14pt;">April 22 to 22 - Montelepre (PA) A unique tradition in Sicily. The scenario: the streets of Montelepre; Protagonists: over four hundred people, representing many biblical characters. And so since 1761, it represented a unique event: "The Procession of the Mysteries of the Old and New Testament" - from creation to the Passion. "

Its roots date back to ancient and medieval mystic processions enlivened the local Christian communities.

The date is Good Friday, when the mother church began to take off, the city streets, over a hundred living pictures representing the most important biblical events and expressive.

The many characters, from Adam and Eve to the rise of Jesus at Calvary, will parade through the streets of the village, follow the urn of the Dead Christ carried on shoulders by "civilized" and "honest" and wrapped the statue of Our Lady of Sorrows a black coat and carried on the shoulders of the "workers". Should be noted and costumes strictly faithful to the story.

"It 'a very sensitive and participatory event, involving the entire citizenry and invokes the presence of thousands of tourists who fill the" streets "of our little village in the province of Palermo.

The visitor for the day live the fascinating mystery of salvation, "which, by Sacred Scripture is manifested before his eyes ... ... <span style="color: #888888; font-family: 'Cambria','serif'; font-size: 14pt;">  <span style="color: #1111cc; font-family: 'Cambria','serif'; font-size: 14pt;">

Easter Egg
<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Cambria','serif'; font-size: 14pt;"> <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Cambria','serif'; font-size: 14pt;">The Easter egg is a traditional Easter sweet, over time become a symbol of the Christian Easter holiday itself, together with the dove. The tradition of the classic chocolate egg is recent, but the gift of real eggs, decorated or gold, is related to the Easter holiday since very ancient times. <span style="color: #888888; font-family: 'Cambria','serif'; font-size: 14pt;"> <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Cambria','serif'; font-size: 14pt;"> ** Historical notes  **  <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Cambria','serif'; font-size: 14pt;"> The egg has always been a symbolic figure of sharp features from the days prior to the rise of the Christian religion. The eggs, in fact, have often served as the symbol of life itself, but also of the sacred, many thousands of years BC According to some beliefs of many pagan religions and mythologies of the past, the heavens and the earth were considered the two hemispheres who were going to create a single egg, and eggs were the victory of life. The ancient Egyptians also regarded him as the fulcrum of the four elements of the universe (water, air, earth and fire). The tradition of giving eggs is already documented among the ancient Persians, where he was a widespread tradition of exchange of simple chicken eggs, the advent of spring season, followed up by other ancient peoples such as the Egyptians, who regarded the change of a kind of first season of the year, the Greeks and Chinese. Eggs were often rudimentary, hand-decorated. <span style="color: #888888; font-family: 'Cambria','serif'; font-size: 14pt;"> <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Cambria','serif'; font-size: 14pt;">The custom of exchanging decorated eggs then developed even in the Middle Ages as a gift to the servants. In the same period, the decorated egg, to be essentially a symbol of the rebirth of nature in spring, went intertwined with Christianity becoming the symbol of the rebirth of man, of Christ: the spread of the egg as a gift Easter's probably arose in Germany, when either the traditional Easter gifts he appeared the simple gift of eggs. <span style="color: #888888; font-family: 'Cambria','serif'; font-size: 14pt;"> <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Cambria','serif'; font-size: 14pt;">Always in the Middle Ages it spread to the tradition of creating artificial eggs made ​​<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Cambria','serif'; font-size: 14pt;">of or coated in precious materials such as silver, platinum or gold, of course addressed to the nobles and aristocrats: Edward I, King of England from 1272 to 1307, commissioned the creation about 450 eggs coated with gold and donated on the occasion of Easter. But the rich tradition of decorated egg is due to the goldsmith Peter Carl Faberge, who in 1883 received by the Tsar to prepare a special gift for the Empress Maria, the goldsmith created an opportunity for the first Fabergé egg, an egg platinum white enamel containing an additional egg, created in gold, which in turn contained two gifts: a reproduction of the imperial crown and a gold chick. The fame that was the first Fabergé egg also helped spread the tradition of the gift inside the egg. In more recent times, the most famous Easter egg and widespread is the classic chocolate egg, whose spread was probably focused in the last century.

The Easter egg today
<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Cambria','serif'; font-size: 14pt;">In different traditions Easter egg continues to maintain a leading role throughout the holiday period. During the period of Lent, in virtue of fasting, eggs are often consumed and accumulated for the next period. In the Balkan tradition greek orthodox and the egg, chicken, cooked, boiled, colored by centuries is traditionally red, a symbol of the Passion, but later also of different colors, usually during the Holy Thursday, the day of the Last Supper, and eaten at Easter and on subsequent days. On Easter Sunday, in many rituals, does the public blessing of eggs, a symbol of resurrection and the life cycles, and subsequent distribution among those present. Before consumption, particularly in the Easter table, each chooses its own egg and begin a race (τσούγκρισμα) with the diners, bumping the ends, to elect the egg stronger. This is considered a good omen. The colors are currently being made with food coloring typical pastry, but in the past used herbal products, including the outer skin of the red variety of onion. Subsequently, there has existed mostly in the last century the use of chocolate egg, enriched inside a small gift. Until a few decades ago the preparation of the classic chocolate eggs was mostly given by a master artisan today the Easter egg is a particularly common in key commercial product. The preparation of the Easter eggs of various sizes is also beginning more than a month before the day of Easter, as indeed happens for the Christmas tree at Christmas. The production of chocolate eggs in Italy, has been entrusted to large firms for more sweets. At present, however, seem to find large fields of spreading the eggs in theme, focusing on Easter eggs a cartoon, a movie or a football team. <span style="color: #888888; font-family: 'Cambria','serif'; font-size: 14pt;"> <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Cambria','serif'; font-size: 14pt;">This takes nothing away from the classic chocolate eggs prepared by hand that are still very widespread, especially abroad. In other countries, like France, is established tradition in green areas of the Easter treasure hunt, in which eggs, prepared by hand and small, are hidden among the trees and are then found by children. That tradition is now, however, weakened by the global spread of Easter egg produced and distributed commercially. In many other countries, finally, the chocolate egg is still being put before the hen's egg is usually cooked hard. Even in countries where the Orthodox religion, but nevertheless it is the tradition of chicken eggs, in response to the spread of eggs produced commercially exploiting a consumer judged by the Orthodox Easter. In Italy the hard-boiled egg as a symbol of Easter has been accompanied by the traditional dove especially this Easter or during lunch. L 'easter egg is also considered in country like Saudi symbol of Jesus' resurrection <span style="color: #888888; font-family: 'Cambria','serif'; font-size: 14pt;"> <span style="color: #1111cc; font-family: 'Cambria','serif'; font-size: 14pt;"> <span style="color: #1111cc; font-family: 'Cambria','serif'; font-size: 14pt;"> <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Cambria','serif'; font-size: 14pt;"> <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Cambria','serif'; font-size: 14pt;"> <span style="color: #777777; display: none; font-family: 'Cambria','serif'; font-size: 14pt;"> <span style="font-family: 'Cambria','serif'; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">