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Sicily is full of tradition and folklore. Easter is no different with celebrations that span the two weeks before Easter Sunday.
Sicily has been conquered several times and assimilated cultures of both the European and Arab worlds. This is a proud people, extremely strong in their culture; they seem to be interwoven with the land itself.
One of the most famous procession is in Trapani and is called “I misteri” it is a parade of a group of sculpted religious statues from 17th century and 18th century in a procession in the historical centre lasting for more then 16 hours from Good Friday to Holy Saturday. After this intense and for same aspects fascinating night, on Good Saturday, at about 1 p.m., I Misteri (the Mysteries) are carried back to the Church of the Purgatory (P.zzetta Purgatorio, church builded in 1688). What makes this religious procession unique is the tension and the passion of each participant.
Another interesting procession is In Modica, Ragusa. The festivities of the Maronna Vasa Vasa, in local dialect the “Madonna that finds her son”, spreads throughout the city and enveloping all present. Early Sunday morning the statue of Christ is brought out of the church Santa Maria and a procession carries him through the city. The Madonna is brought out half an hour later wearing a black robe. Another procession forms and carries her through the city looking for the Christ.
Children are excited, waiting at their windows. The sounds of the ever growing fill the streets. “Mamma, ci sono!” They’re here! Mamma let’s go. The onlookers join with the processions as they pass. The banker, the politician, the factory worker, the homemakers, all are equal as they celebrate their traditions. The band plays, the priests lead the group and they wind through the city. Dresses bought just for Easter, as each person dresses their best. Flowers are laid before the Madonna that searches every corner of the city.
Exactly at noon the two meet in the piazza in front of the church. The black robe is thrown off and doves with blue ribbons are released. The crowd cheers in unison as the Madonna kisses her son. Easter has arrived, and the families return to their home to feasts of traditional foods.
Dance of the Devils. (Il Ballo dei Diavoli) A religious drama held in the main town square of Prizzi that is a small village in the hills south of Palermo, not far from the famous Corleone. (Piazza Umberto I) Wearing red and black satanic masks complete with horns and grotesque noses, a portion of the townsfolk wreak havoc, constraining passers-by to buy them drinks (a metaphor for stealing their souls). In the struggle that ensues between good and evil, it is Christ and the Madonna who come out on top, along with other locals dressed as angels. During the ensuing celebrations the devils are "forced" to get the drinks in and "cannateddi", a typical Easter cake, is distributed.
Feast of the Schietti in Terrasini (Palermo) It consists that the unmarried men demonstrate their strength to the local girls raising an orange tree with only one arm ( the tree weights about 50 kilos)
Piana degli Albanesi (Palermo) On Easter Sunday the townsfolk (Albanian community) put on their traditional 15th Century costumes and hand out previously blessed red hand-painted eggs. After Mass there is the procession of the Holy Veil, a piece of cloth in which believers can make out the face of Christ.
Interesting is also a folk representation in Adrano, little village that lies near the foot of Mount Etna, (Catania) called the Diavolata and Angelicata. It is a verbal battle between five devils led by Lucifer and angel impersonated by a child. Ofcourse it ends with the triumph of good over evil.
On Good Friday in the main square of Pietraperzia, Piazza del Carmine (Enna province) there is a big celebrations with a spectacular procession by over 500 participants.
An interesting event happens on Easter Sunday in Gangi (in Palermo province) there are various rituals and processions with an unusual competition between saints. Devotees of the Madonna compete against those who venerate Jesus. The main event consists of creating the best decorations in the Duomo square.
Yet another celebration is held in San Biagio Platani (in the province of Agrigento) on Easter Sunday. Two religious factions deck the town in colourful decorative arches made from all sorts of materials including vegetables and cereals. Each group's work is prepared in absolute secrecy during the weeks leading up to Easter and each attempts to outdo the other. The competitive spirit is, however, just a backdrop to the more important celebration of the resurrection of Christ.
In San Martino delle Scale, a small village hidden away in the mountains west of Palermo, the monks of the Benedictine Monastery celebrate Easter and the coming of Spring by freeing the birds they have saved from the harsh mountain winter. The birds are kept in a large specially built aviary and their release on Easter Monday is part of a tradition that goes back over 300 years. The arrival of Spring is also celebrated with concerts, enormous floral arrangements and Gregorian chants, all of which create a wonderful festive atmosphere.