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Easter Processions in Italy

While Covid-19 has disrupted lives around the world, it is particularly difficult for many during this religious time of year, including Italians, who have had to forego centuries of Easter traditions. From small villages to large cities, processions featuring lifelike (and extremely heavy) “ floats” depicting scenes from the Passion are carried out by the locals.

Each year, the city of Cortona sponsors the Procession of Good Friday, beginning at 9 PM from the Church of Santo Spirito. It winds its way up, around and through the steep streets of the town and ends in Piazza Repubblica, with ceremonial prayers. These photos are from the 2017 procession.

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The Misteri di Trapani (Mysteries of Trapani) is a day-long Passion procession featuring twenty floats of lifelike sculptures of individual scenes of the events of the Passion. The Misteri are amongst the oldest continuously running religious events in Europe, having been played every Good Friday since before the Easter of 1612, and running for 16-24+ continuous hours. They are the longest religious festival in Italy.

The small balcony from our room at the Badia Nuova hotel offered a perfect view of the 2016 procession.

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In the days before the procession, people were busy attending to final touches of the platforms.

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If you study the configuration of the men’s arms, you can begin to imagine the weight of the platforms.

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Here are two short videos I took that represents the tone and mood of the procession. The swaying is part of the pageantry, and the clapper you hear is what is used to stop and start the movement of the platforms, which happens about every 30 to 50 feet.

Hoping that next year, these traditions resume as expected, along with so many others around the world. In the meantime,

Buona Pasqua, Happy Easter,

Stay Safe, and Be Well!

Ciao,
Judy

Original 2016 post with videos is linked below

https://blogginginitaly.com/2016/03/27/misteri-trapani/

Tags: Badia Nuova Hotel Trapani, Cortona Holy Week, Passion Procession Trapani, Processione Dei Misteri Di Trapani

Comments 14 Comments
Categories Cortona, Italian Festival, Italian History, Italy, My Blog about Italy, Pageantry

Cortona Medieval Marriage and Joust

24 Jun

Our last weekend in Cortona was filled with traditional Medieval customs, celebrated annually by the locals.

Saturday evening, the town reenacted the 1397 marriage of Francesco Casali, Lord of Cortona, to Antonia Salimbeni, a noble woman of Siena, complete with flag-throwers, musicians, and a drawing for the shooting order for Sunday’s crossbow competition.

But let’s step back for a moment. Our great friend, Ivan, (Il Pozzo Galleria) has acted in the role of Francesco for as long as anyone can remember, along with his daughter, Marta, who annually serves as the lovely Antonia. We stopped in to see Ivan midday and were fortunate enough to experience not only the intricate detail of their costumes but also the weight.

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And then this… gym shoes and all!

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It’s hard to describe the beautiful detail, complexity and weight of these costumes, and true to form, the evening would be the hottest of the year! I was sweating just thinking about it. But on to the evening…

Drum roll, please!

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This year, the bride-to-be arrived in a chianina drawn carriage, much to the delight of the patrons.

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After being helped out of her coach by her lord in waiting,

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she was introduced to the appreciative crowds.

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As is customary for all important Cortona events, traditional flag throwers accompanied the ceremony.

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Before the final entertainment began, the lights unexpectedly went out, ©blogginginitaly.com

but as if on cue, in came the flame throwers, so it was a perfect ending to a wonderfully entertaining evening.

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As the people dispersed, we bumped into a very hot, tired, but always happy to greet people with a smile, Ivan.

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Sunday was another hot day, both weather and competition wise for the Archidado. Peccioverardi won after 4 playoffs, 24-23 over S. Andrea.

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Afterward, they paraded around town for their well-fought victory march, carrying the near bulls-eye arrow.

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One final thought about the weekend…

Each year, Ivan tells us it’s his last, yet for those of us who know him, it’s hard to imagine that anyone else could fill his shoes!

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Ciao,
Judy

Tags: 2019 Cortona Giostra dell'Archidado

Comments 12 Comments
Categories Cortona, Cortona weddings, Italian Festival, Italian History, Italy, Medieval, My Blog about Italy, Pageantry, Piazza Signorelli and Piazza Republicca, Tuscany

S. Margherita Festival Cortona

21 May

This weekend, the people of Cortona celebrated the feast of S. Margherita, Cortona’s patron saint, and kicked off the two weeks of the Medieval Giostra dell’Archidado.

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Events began Friday night with the Colata dei ceri, or the casting of the candles, a religious practice that dates back to 1325. At the time, wax was collected and used by churches for candle making and also sold as a source of income.

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Locals dressed in traditional costumes of the time and processed into Piazza Repubblica accompanied by drummers and flag bearers.

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S. Margherita was eventually led into the piazza

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and a few events from her life were reenacted.

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If you look closely in the pink part of the photo, you will see a headsman or executioner. After Margherita was willing to sacrifice her life in place a convicted criminal, her followers cried out, “She is a saint!” and the criminal’s life was spared.

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Saturday was the Offerta dei ceri or the offering of the candles. Large candles were carried into the piazza and blessed by the bishop.

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Each quartiere or neighborhood of Cortona was represented in a procession that portrayed nobility, religious and workers of the time.

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Following the blessings, the flag bearers delighted the crowds with their skills.

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Then the candles were taken to the Basilica of Santa Margherita.

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On Sunday morning, several masses were held at the Basilica. We walked up Via Santa Croce…

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where beautiful mosaics of the stations of the cross are built into the wall.

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S. Margherita died in 1297 in a room behind the old church where she had lived the last years of her life. Over the years, the beautiful Basilica of Santa Margherita was rebuilt in her honor.

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Her body is preserved in a silver casket on the altar. She was canonized by Pope Benedict XIII on 16 May 1728.

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On my way out of the Basilica, I turned once again to admire its beauty, said one more quick prayer, and as I headed toward the door, a gust of wind blew it open. Really.

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Such a wonderful weekend and such an interesting way to understand and celebrate this important part of Cortona’s history.

Ciao,
Judy

Tags: Santa Margherita Cortona

Comments 20 Comments
Categories Cortona, Italian Festival, Italian History, Italy, Medieval, My Blog about Italy, Pageantry, Piazza Signorelli and Piazza Republicca, Tuscany

Easter in Cortona

15 Apr

In cities and towns all over Italy, religious processions are held during Easter week. Many churches have large statues and crosses that are carried on the shoulders of locals in Holy Week processions through city streets.

Last night, Good Friday, Cortona held its annual Procession of the Stations of the Cross. Signs in English were all over town to remind visitors that this is a solemn event.

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The procession began at 9 PM at the Church of Spirito Santo, a 17th-century church built just outside the medieval walls of Cortona. For those of you familiar with Cortona, picture the church beyond the bottom of steep Via Guelfa and out the wall’s entrance. Noting this is important because the route the procession takes is pretty amazing…either steeply uphill or down, and very rarely flat. (*See below for more of route.)

We waited for the procession at the Church of Saint Francis with others who had lined the steps.

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The Stations of the Cross were being read over a loud-speaker as the procession moved through parts of town.

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Local children were as involved as their parents.

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A group of strong women carried the statue of the Blessed Mother.

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After reaching its highest point, the procession came down Via S. Margherita toward Via Nazionale.

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The final destination was Piazza Republicca, where the statues were placed on platforms.

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At about 10:30 PM, religious dignitaries gathered at the top of the Municipio and a local bishop led all in prayer before the choir sang.

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A year ago, Len and I were in Trapani, Sicily, for their incredible Misteri di Trapani, a 24 hour procession. It was large and dramatic, with musicians and choirs accompanying each heavy statue carried on the shoulders of dozens of men. But Trapani is flat, and Cortona is anything but. So, while Cortona’s procession was smaller, with less music and drama, it was nonetheless incredible to see the procession maneuver through the ancient town. Whether elaborate or small, dramatic or simple, it is each town’s commitment to carrying out tradition that matters.

Today, Saturday, Cortona is bustling with people, here to participate in the Easter weekend. I’m told there is a midnight mass tonight at the Duomo, and masses at various times and churches tomorrow.

The smells of special Easter breads and pastries fill the spring air, and tomorrow most Italians will gather around large lunches with their families and friends to celebrate Easter, as will we.

In Italy, the Monday after Easter is also a holiday called Pasquetta. Though not a religious holiday, Pasquetta is another day for family and friends to gather and also spend some relaxing time outdoors. It was introduced by the government after World War II.

Wherever your plans may take you, a gathering big or small,
I wish you a very Happy Easter – Buona Pasqua to all!

Ciao,
Judy

*Note: for those wanting more on the route, I believe it was up Via Guelfa, connecting to Via Ghini, up the very steep Via Maffei to San Francesco Church, on past the old hospital to Via S. Margherita, down through Piazza Garibaldi to Via Nazionale and finally ending in Piazza Republicca.

Tags: Buona Pasqua, Easter in Cortona

Comments 13 Comments
Categories Cortona, Italian History, Italy, My Blog about Italy, Pageantry, Piazza Life, Piazza Signorelli and Piazza Republicca, Tuscany

Medieval Jousters on Horses in Cortona

22 Oct

For days, we had heard that the horses were coming, yet no one I spoke with knew why. Today, as with many days in Cortona, we were surprised and delighted with a colorful Medieval spectacle.

As overheard in the piazza, the nearby city of Arezzo has been highly victorious in jousting competitions this year. They came to Cortona today, dressed in their finest and with their victors high on horseback, to give thanks to their patron saint, Margherita. One of the participants told me this was a festival of adoration to their patron saint in appreciation for their success this year.

From our house, I heard the drummers and arrived just in time to see them enter the piazza from Via Roma.

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A few minutes later, the horses and jousters appeared in full matching Medieval regalia.

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Once the horses took their places,

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the flag wavers entered and all watched as they performed.

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In Italy, flag waving and throwing is a skill learned by the young and perfected over many years. It is an important part of many of the Medieval festivals and ceremonies, and one that requires years of practice.

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When the performance was finished, they joined the dignitaries on the grand steps of the Municipio for the speeches of gratitude.

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Following the ceremony in the piazza, the parade moved down Via Nazionale, the main and only flat street of Cortona.

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Their ultimate destination was the beautiful Santa Margherita Church at the top of Cortona –

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where the saint lies in glass at the foot of the altar.

In towns and cities all over Italy, ancient customs live on in the hearts, minds and practices of the people who received them from their ancestors and pass them on to future generations. It’s easy to get caught up in the pageantry and imagine days gone by. No matter how often I see one of these, it’s always quite a spectacle to behold.

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Ciao,
Judy

Note: Click on any picture to enlarge.

Tags: Arezzo, Flag Bearers, Medieval Festival, Medieval Jousters, Medieval Pageantry

Comments 12 Comments
Categories Cortona, Italian Festival, Italian History, Italy, Medieval, My Blog about Italy, Pageantry, Piazza Life, Piazza Signorelli and Piazza Republicca, Tuscany

My Here and There

29 Jun

Whether in Chicago or Cortona, Len and I try to walk everyday, or as we say in Italian, fare una passeggiata. During our walks, my senses take in beautiful sights, sounds (no ear buds for me), and the vast array of smells from fragrant flowers to pop-up food stands. The differences are striking, from the moment I step outside my door…

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And not surprising, as Chicago is a relatively new city…1833

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While Cortona is an ancient town… 7th century BC.

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And while the differences are striking in many ways, it occurred to me that there are some interesting similarities.

Both cities have incredible parks where we take our walks,