The rites of Easter in western Sicily

A good reason to experience spring and discover the island's traditions.

The period preceding Easter is certainly one of the most beautiful to visit the Trapani area. During Lent, in fact, various religious rites are held, strongly linked to tradition. Among the most evocative takes place in Trapani, in the church of the Holy Souls of Purgatory, the Rito delle Scinnute.

Trapani is just a 40-minute drive from San Vito Lo Capo.

Every Friday before Easter, one of the Groups present in the Church of the Holy Souls of Purgatory is decorated with flowers and candles and is placed in the center of the church altar; the religious function is celebrated by the bishop of Trapani and is followed, with great emotion, by the workers and by the numerous faithful. In the background, the prayers of those present and the typical marches sung by the bands that will then accompany the groups on their journey through the streets of Trapani on Good Friday.

The sound of the ciaccole mixes with the devotion of the numerous faithful who fill the small church and the square in front of it, you can already breathe the evocative atmosphere of the procession of the Mysteries.

The Procession of the Mysteries on Good Friday is particularly fascinating and evocative.

The eighteen sculptural groups, made of wood, fabric and glue, date back to the Spanish domination of the 1600s. The exit from the church is expected in the very early afternoon of Good Friday. The religious procession winds through the small streets of the historic center, the Vare are carried on the shoulders and accompanied, along the way, by thousands of faithful to the sound of the funeral marches of the musical bands. Faith and tradition mix, giving infinite emotions.

An event that really offers many ideas to photography enthusiasts, especially during the night, with a play of light and shadow that becomes one with the glances, full of devotion, of the people of the Mysteries, made up of porters, consuls and chief consuls , figures, musicians and faithful.

All together, some under the vara, others behind the group, to experience the magic of the most evocative and longest night in the city of Trapani.

The procession opens at 2 pm on Good Friday and ends around the same time the next day. Last to enter is the statue of Our Lady of Sorrows, greeted by everyone with a throw of rose petals and with a long and heartfelt applause.

Also in Trapani, on the morning of Good Friday, before the exit of the imposing and very long procession of the Mysteries, an ancient rite of medieval origin is re-proposed, that of the Descent of the Cross.

This ancient rite is celebrated in the church of Santa Maria del Gesù. A wooden Christ is removed from the cross and placed on the sheet for burial. A very impressive religious service, definitely worth seeing.

But representations of the Via Crucis are also held in other towns of the province, such as Marsala, Erice and Buseto Palizzolo.

In the tradition of Marsala and Buseto Palizzolo, the procession is carried out with real characters who interpret the various moments of the passion of Christ, while in the medieval streets of Erice you can witness an evocative procession with six 18th century sculptural groups.

The groups that make up the procession of the Mysteries:

•The break up

• The washing of the feet

• Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane

• The arrest

• Fall at the Cedron

• Jesus before Hanna

• The Denial

• Jesus before Herod

• The Flagellation

• The crowning with thorns

• Ecce Homo