In the small town of Noicattaro, a medieval procession is held on Good Friday where penitents walk the streets carrying heavy crosses. There are strict rules to this pilgrimage. The crosses, which weigh more than 100 pounds apiece, can only be set down for 30 minutes every four hours. Participants walk barefoot, wear chains, and dress in either black hoods or crowns of thorns. They pray to themselves as they walk, dragging their heavy burdens with them.
In the remote Sicilian village of Prizzi, some residents dress up like Satan on Easter Day and terrify the town by attempting to capture villagers’ souls. No matter how hard they try, the “devils” can never stop the ceremonial meeting of the Virgin Mary with the resurrected Christ later that day -- and good triumphs over evil once more.
In Florence, a large wooden cart filled with fireworks is positioned near the city’s famed Duomo (Dome). A dove-shaped rocket named “Colombina” is released from the cathedral and aimed straight at the cart, which it hits and ignites. The resulting fireworks bring great cheers from the crowd. If everything goes smoothly, it’s an omen of good fortune for the upcoming year. The rocket is lit by rubbing together shards of stone from the Holy Sepulcher. These shards were given to a Florentine Crusader who was supposedly the first to scale the walls of Jerusalem in 1099. Some say the entire ritual is actually based on an even older pagan tradition to insure good harvests.
In short, Italian Easter celebrations -- both public and private -- are as grand and colorful, as ancient and complex as Italy herself.
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What’s On When: Easter in Florence
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