April Festivals & Events:
| Lucca - Liberty Festival (April 2nd) It recalls the time-honoured holiday of the old Republic of Lucca, and is celebrated with a solemn mas in the cathedral attended by figures in historical costume. |
| Maenza (Latina) - Palm Sunday (Date Varies)Costumed figures reenact the entry of Christ in Jerusalem. |
| Castelsardo (Sassari) - Procession of Luni Santu (April 5th)
This procession winds through the picturesque byways of this historic old town, illuminated by torchlight. During the procession folk music inspired by Gregorian chant is sung. |
| Agnone (Isernia) - Via Crucia (Date Varies)A Passion Play reenacts the Way of the Cross. |
| Melazzo (Alessandria) - Stockfish Festival (Easter-time)- This is a traditional Easter festival featuring dried stockfish, held in the shadow of the centuries-old castle. |
| Gessopalena (Chieti) - Passion Play (During Holy Week)On the Wednesday of Holy Week, a religious drama is acted out in tableaux showing Christ meeting an emigrant on his way to Calvary. The two exchange burdens: Christ takes the emigrant's suitcase and the man takes up Christ's cross.
The drama ends with the final sacrifice on Golgotha. |
| Caltanissetta - Holy Week Observances (Dates Vary) Wednesday: Procession of the Real Maestranza and parade of the "vare" (folk figures); Thursday: Band concert and evening parade of the "vare"; Friday: Procession of the ancient Black Christ: Saturday: Passion Play in the evening; Sunday: Solemn mass of the Resurrection. |
| Cagliari - Holy Thursday Procession (Dates vary)An evocative procession winds its way from the church of San Giovanni Battista in the city's cathedral through the picturesque quarters of Villanova and Castello, with religious confraternities in ancient costumes and the singing of hymns that are of a rich oral tradition. |
| Taranto - Procession of the Addolorata (During Holy Week)It is held on Holy Thursday, while the procession of the Mystery takes place on Good Friday. Both processions have in common the very slow pace of the participants and their unusual costumes. |
| Ginosa (Taranto) - The Passion of Christ (Holy Week) A Passion Play staged in an illuminated gorge with about three hundred people in costume. |
| Nemoli (Potenza) - Holy Week Rites (Dates Vary) On Thursday, the sound of clappers in the byways announces the death of Christ. On Friday, the Way of the Cross by torchlight. On Saturday, Easter "frittata." |
| Assisi (Perugia) - Holy Week (Dates Vary) On Holy Thursday the rite evoking the Deposition of Christ from the cross is held in the cathedral of San Rufino. On Good Friday the Agony in the Garden is recalled in the church of Santa Maria Maggiore; in the evening a torchlight procession of the Dead Christ traverses the town from the cathedral of San Rufino to the Basilica of San Francesco and back. |
| Sigillo - "The Trial of Jesus" (Holy Week) This event takes place on the evening of Holy Thursday in the church of Sant'Andrea and evokes the Passion of Christ, with figures in costume. A procession takes place on Friday evening, when the Way of the Cross is reenacted by eighty people in costume. |
| Bevagna (Perugia) - "Procession of the Dead Christ" (Date Varies) The procession dates back to the 16th and 17th centuries and is organized by the confraternity of the Misericordia. It ends in the Piazza Filippo Silvestri, where a brief evocation of the Passion is acted out on the steps of the theatre. |
| Calitri - Good Friday (Date Varies) At dawn, members of a religious confraternity, wearing white hoods surmounted by crowns of thorns, carry crosses on their shoulders in a procession accompanied by choirs singing psalms and folk songs. |
| Cittavecchia (Rome) - "Procession of the Dead Christ" (Date Varies) A long procession of pentinents in white robes drag long chains to their ankles through the streets. |
| Gubbio (Perugia) - "Evening Procession of the Dead Christ" -(Date Varies) This procession originated in the 13th century and is organized by the confraternity of the church and Santa Croce. The music accompanying the procession is the melancholy "Miserere," a pentitential chant handed down by oral tradition and sung alternately by two choirs. |
| Lapio (Avellino)- "Tavolate (Holy Week)" Groups of life-size papier-mache statues evoke episodes of Christ's Passion and Crucifixion. |
| L'Aquila - "Good Friday" (Date Varied) An imposing procession at dusk includes artistic tableau of Christ's Passion presented by a cast of hundreds. |
| Minturno (Latina) - "The Passion of Christ" (Date Varies) Every Good Friday, since 25 years, a folk representation wrapped in a rarely perceptible and poetic atmosphere evokes the relevant moments of Christ's Passion. |
| Mirabella Eclano (Avellino) - "Procession of the Misteri" (Holy Week) Episodes of Christ's Passion illustrated by very old and unusual statues of wood and paper-mache |
| Sessa Aurunca (Caserta) - "Procession of the Misteri (Date Varies) Paper-mache, state groups and statues are borne by members of a confraternity who move at a rhythmic pace, the "cannulella." |
| Sorrento (Naples) - "Good Friday" (Date Varies) Processions at dawn and dusk date back to the 15th century. |
| Vercelli - Procession of the Macchine (Holy Week) In the evening there is a procession of large wooden statue groups representing the Passion of Christ; this event is considered one of the most authentic expressions of religious devotion. |
| Caulonia (Reggio Calabria) - Caracolo (Holy Saturday) The procession on Holy Saturday, with participants in costume, is of Spanish origin and is called the "caracolo" (snail) because of its slow pace. |
| Montemitro (Campobasso) - Country Festival (April 10th) In honour of the town's patron saint, Santa Lucia, an ancient statue of the saint is carried in procession to a small country church where the first colonies of Slavic refugees from Turkish domination settled six hundred years ago. In the afternoon, home-made sweets and handicrafts are auctioned off. |
| Adrano (Catania) - "Easter" - (Date Varies)A folk representation called the "Diavolata and Angelicata" is a verbal battle between five devils led by Lucifer and angel impersonated by a child. It ends with the triumph of good over evil. |
| Bormio (Sondrio) - Easter (Date Varies) On Easter morning a parade of characteristic Easter floats representing the various local districts makes its way through the town. |
| Florence - "Explosion of the Cart" - Easter Sunday - At noon in the Piazza del Duomo, a cart full of fireworks is exploded, perpetuating a ceremony of ancient origin and recalling the fire that used to be kindled during the "Gloria" at Easter Mass, and was then distributed to all of Florence's households. This tradition is said to date back to the time of the First Crusade, when the valorous Pazzino del Pazzi was awarded somepieces of flint from the Holy Sepulcher. after his return to Florence the Holy Fire was kindled with these flints, now preserved in the church of Santi Apostoli. |
| Piana Degli Albanesi (Palermo) - "Easter (Date Varies) Easter is celebrated according to the byzantine rite; groups of women in elaborate 15th-century costumes distribute red Easter eggs to the public. |
| Prato (Florence) - "Easter (Date Varies) The traditional exposition of Mary's Waistband from a pulpit decorated by Donatello, at the cathedral. |
| Prizzi (Palermo) - "Dance of the Devils" - (Date Varies) Groups of young men dressed as devils roam the town, hunting for souls to capture. But a group of angels manages to capture the devils and lead them to the Madonna of the Resurrection. |
| Fermignano (Pesaro-Urbino) - Palio of the Golden Frog - (April 18th) A characteristic exhibition of flag-tossers with a parade in historical costumes. |
| Noale (Venice) - "Noale in Fiore" (April 18th-21st)
- Four days of a unique show and market dedicated to the geranium, completed with several suggestive folk happenings. Among the various events and sights: threshing with vintage machines, bread show, museum of country life, country soungs and dances, fireworks, and a replica of a rural home. |
| Ponti (Alessandria) - Polentone Festival (April 25th) - This is a traditional folklore event that recalls the historic encounter of the marchese del Carretto with a group of calabrian tinkers. An enormous omlette made of eggs, onions, and codfish is divided among the public, together iwth vast quantities of polenta cooked on the spot in a gigantic kettle. |
| Terni - "Cantamaggio" (April 30th) A traditional parade of illuminated floats takes place in the evening. |
| Gualdo Tadino (Perugia) - "Feast of San Pelligrino" (April 30th-May 1st-5th) This ceremony has elements of history and folklore, also called the "Festa del Maggio" (May Festival), which dates back to the 13th century and is celebrated on the night of April 30th-1st May. At the end of several rituals, a huge poplar, with its bark previously removed, is heaved with quick and expert movements in the middle of the square. |
