Holy Week: Enna to the most evocative of Italy

Sicily is full of ancient traditions and evocative rites as the island itself. The week before Easter is rich in religious celebrations, processions and parades. Each festival is part of an elaborate show that mixes religion and paganism in the festivities that mark the end of winter and the rebirth of spring.
Seven days of silence and recollection which transform Sicily into an open-air theater. Each location expresses its devotion to the world unique performances reminiscent of "step by step" the passion of Christ until the resurrection.

Holy Week in Enna

Among the most impressive celebrations in Italy is undoubtedly the Holy Week in Enna.
The event begins on Palm Sunday, when the city prepares to relive the arrival of Jesus in Jerusalem at the Shrine of Papardura. A re-enactment heard and participatory involving the people and touches many sacred places in the city, through the winding streets to the church of San Leonardo, and reaches the Dome of Enna. Here brotherhoods, to turn, They spend an hour of prayer in the typical ancient dialect of the city.

If you are in Sicily in Holy Week, land of UNESCO Heritage Sites like the Val di Noto and the splendid Villa Romana in Piazza Armerina, marked on the calendar these missed appointments and alternateli to visit many historical attractions.

Holy Wednesday

It takes place fascinating “sung Mass”, while members of the brotherhoods “invade” local taverns to divert the mind from the intense hours of the day that will be prayer. All the old town is full of cheerful and lively atmosphere.

Holy Thursday and the tradition of the tombs in odd numbers

Entire town is involved in the solemn rituals of Holy Thursday, the rite of the washing of feet in the morning until late at night in the pilgrimages. All the churches in the city have set up a tomb, adequately adorning the main altar. As per tradition, in Sicily is crucial visit them in odd numbers. Probably this tradition stems from the Pilgrimage to the Seven Churches of San Filippo Blacks, that penance visited the great Roman basilicas. In an indeterminable period the custom of staging the tombs in churches meets history of St. Philip Blacks and from the union of these two traditions born symbolically use to visit seven different graves. Over time, this tradition has undergone some changes and legend has it that the graves should be viewed in odd number.

The solemn Good Friday procession

On Good Friday, the celebration reaches its climax. It's the most exciting day of Holy Week, It characterized by an intimate atmosphere that attracts thousands of visitors. The Good Friday procession in Enna one of the most unique and peculiar events of Sicily and is sponsored by the European Union for its extraordinary historical and cultural value.
It all starts with a Mass celebrated in the Dome is also known as “Rite of darkness”. Meanwhile, over two thousand confrati hooded leave in procession from the Church of San Leonardo. In strictly established order and in absolute silence and sadness, Vare precede the dead Christ and the Addolorata, thus starting the long funeral procession that will travel almost the whole city. In front of all the Confraternity of the Passion leads “Mystery”, i 25 symbols of the martyrdom of Christ.
A long and exciting procession accompanied by songs in Sicilian dialect and funeral marches slowly winds its way through the streets until reaching the church cemetery, Former Capuchin Monastery. Here you are imparted, the faithful, the blessing with the cross reliquary containing a thorn from the crown of Christ.
The procession, then, back towards the Cathedral then melt definitively.

The “Paci” Easter

The rites of Holy Week in Enna continues on Easter Sunday with the ceremony called "a Paci".
Between two wings of the crowd and a festive ringing of bells, in the square adjacent to the Cathedral, the statues of the Risen Christ and the Virgin Mary meet and triumphantly are brought inside the church, where they remain exposed for the veneration of the faithful for a week.

A truly unique event and heard, which will give to all those who live atmosphere that you thought was lost forever.