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WHAT’S ON IN SPRING?

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RELIGIOUS EVENTS

TURIN (PIEDMONT)

Shroud of Turin on display in 2010 April 10 – May 23

It is 10 years since this sacred relic was last unveiled and this is to be the first public display of the Shroud after its ‘restoration’ in 2002. Many believe that the mysterious Shroud is the actual burial cloth of Jesus Christ. Only the Pope has the authority to have the Shroud removed for public display or scientific investigation. Although still hotly disputed, the Shroud has passed numerous stringent scientific tests, from carbon dating to Biblical studies. The Shroud features a full-length photo-negative image of a crucified man bearing wounds consistent with the Gospel accounts. The crucified man also has a beard, long hair, and arms crossed over his chest. Pope Benedict XVI will visit the Chapel of the Holy Shroud in the Cathedral of Turin on 2nd May 2010. Given the unveiling of the Shroud, Turin is expected to have another record year of pilgrims and visitors in 2010.
Contact: Holy Shroud organisation www.sindone.organd Turin tourist board, www.comune.torino.it (Get the Piemonte Card museum pass for big discounts)
Stay: Santo Stefano www.torino-hotel-santostefano.com is a stylish yet laidback design hotel set in the chic Quadrilatero area, close to the sites and nightlife.

EASTER CELEBRATIONS

All the major towns on the mainland and the islands celebrate La Semana Santa (Holy Week), with religious ceremonies and processions through the streets, usually culminating in flights of doves and fireworks. However, ‘sacred’ and ‘profane’ are often interwoven such as the Abballu de daivuli (The Devils) in Prizzi-Palermo in Sicily when ‘devils’ dressed in horrendous masks run amok in the streets with dastardly intent. But good triumphs over evil and the finale is always a big feasting affair. The most traditional Easter dish is ‘agnellino’ (roasted baby lamb) and both pannetone and colomba (dove-shaped) breads are given as gifts. Not forgetting, of course, Easter eggs — that signify from earliest times, and in most cultures, birth and resurrection. Although Italians do not decorate hard–boiled eggs nor have chicks or chocolate bunnies, the traditional chocolate Easter eggs are beautifully packaged and can range in size from tiny 10 grams (1/3 oz) up to statuesque eight kilos (nearly 18 pounds). Buona Pasqua!

SULMONA (ABRUZZO)
Easter week - March 29 – April 4

On the evening of Maundy Thursday (April 1, 2010), throngs of locals wind through the narrow cobbled streets and alleys of Sulmona to visit the local churches in a tradition known as ‘fare i sepolcri’. Within each church is a statue of the Dead Christ in a holy sepulchre, illuminated by flickering candles. On April 2 (Good Friday) the Procession of the Dead Christ and the Madonna Addolorata (our Lady of Sorrows) starts from the Baroque Church of Annunziata and finishes late at night at the Church of the Trinity. Then on April 4 (Easter Sunday), the procession of the Confrati (friars) starts from the Church of Santa Maria della Tomba, re-enacting the meeting of the Virgin Mary with the risen Christ in a famous tradition known as ‘La Madonna che Scappa’ (the running Madonna)in Piazza Garibaldi. Draped in a black robe, the statue of the Madonna, is carried on the shoulders of a number of young men at midday, then breaks into a swift run when ‘she’ recognizes the statue of resurrected Christ. As she seemingly runs towards her Son, the dark cloak falls away to reveal a bright green dress – the rebirth of hope and symbolising the arrival of spring. Church bells ring, firecrackers are lit and a flock of white doves is released into the sky. It is said that if the doves fly high there will be a good harvest and being chosen to carry the statue is considered to be a great honour. The event culminates with much joyful feasting.

FLORENCE (TUSCANY)
The Explosion of the Cart – April 4 (Easter Sunday)

During the first Crusade of 1096 the Florentine knight Pazzo de 'Pazzi was said to be the first man who planted the banner of the Cross on battlements of Jerusalem and, as a gift,he received some fragments of the Holy Sepulchre. Upon his return to Florence the stones were used to start the Sacred Fire of Holy Saturday, and were paraded through the city as homage to it in a richly decorated chariot. Nowadays, on Easter Sunday a large wagon is pulled by white oxen in a procession in the streets of the centre of Florence to the front of the cathedral in the Scoppio del Carro (Explosion of the Cart). Symbolising the Resurrection, a large carriage is pulled by white oxen in a long procession to the front of the Cathedral. Then the Archbishop lights a dove–shaped rocket which travels down a wire and collides with the cart in the square, setting off spectacular fireworks and explosions to the cheers of all. A big bang ensures a good harvest, and a parade in medieval costume follows.

ALGHERO (SARDINIA) – Easter week

Alghero celebrates Semana Santa (Holy week) according to the rites of an ancient Spanish tradition dating back to 1501. Celebrations open on Tuesday, March 30th with the ‘Dimas Sant' — the procession of Sorrowful Mysteries, on Thursday ‘Dijous Sant’ the Via Crucis is held, on Good Friday ‘Divendres Sant’ there is the rite of ‘desclavamant’, the taking down of the body of Christ from the cross and the deposition. The ‘Dissabte Sant’ Saturday is the holy day of the vigil until Easter Sunday, when the Risen Christ will meet the Virgin among doves and fireworks.

ROME (LAZIO) – Easter week

Pope Benedictus XVl delivers several masses between Palm Sunday (March 28) and Easter Day, when thousands of pilgrims and fellow travellers are on hand to celebrate with him. Celebrations begin in earnest on Maundy Thursday, by which time the Vatican’s population will have swelled dramatically. On Good Friday, instead of a mass, choirs sing St John’s version of Christ’s crucifixion. Later that night, the Pope traces the Stations of the Cross (Via Crucis) in a solemn torch-lit procession commemorating the 14 stages of Christ’s passion from the Colosseum to Palatine Hill. On Saturday, there is a late evening Mass in Saint Peter’s Basilica, during which adult converts to Catholicism are officially received into the Church. On Easter Sunday the Pope says mass in St Peter’s Square from high above on a balcony of the church. At noon he gives the ‘Urbi et Orbi’ blessing — ‘to the city and the world’ — when the Pope grants forgiveness to those present to Catholics throughout the world. This is the most highly attended event of the Holy Week.
Most museums in Rome, including the Vatican museums are generally open during Holy Week, except on Easter Sunday and Monday.

BARILE (BASILICATA) – April 2 (Good Friday)

In Barile, the Via Crucis is interpreted with great intensity by its actors. Along the route of the Way of the Cross there are several stages built to represent the various episodes of the Passion of Christ. As well as the authentic re-constructions of the Gospel stories, fantasy figures also suddenly appear. The ‘Negro’ represents a stranger, while the ‘Gypsy’ character is a dark symbol of wealth that hides evil and danger and both represent figures of popular collective atonement.

SICILIAN EASTER

Modica - Ragusa - April 4 (Easter Sunday)
Spectacular processions and parades take place in the streets of both towns with statues of Christ and the Virgin Mary.

Adrano-Catania - April 4 (Easter Sunday)
‘The Devil’ takes place here every year in this folkloric event. Good and Evil are represented with the Devils being led by Lucifer on one side and Paradise on the other. It culminates in the triumph of Good and of Light in the world.

Prizzi-Palermo - April 4 (Easter Sunday)
Devils are at it again in the ‘Abballu de daivuli’ — a representation of grotesque red-robed masked devils which run through the village trying to trap as many souls as possible. By the afternoon and the meeting of the Virgin Mary with the Risen Christ, the devils are harnessed and carried by angels to the Virgin Mary.

Trápani – April 2 (Good Friday)
I Misteri (The Procession of the Mysteries) begins at 2pm on Good Friday and continues for almost 24 hours until the Saturday. It is the longest religious event in Italy and one of the oldest where 20 groups of statues, (Sacred Mysteries), representing the various stages of the Via Crucis are carried through the city.