Pasqua in Sicilia

San Fratello, Delia and Aidone on the occasion of Easter. The celebrations that take place in these towns form a picture of the sacred folklore of Sicily. Here we witness genuine and spontaneous manifestations of popular religious sentiment.

In San Fratello the "Jews", dressed in their picturesque and traditional costume, go through the town playing their trumpets. With the dark red mask that covers their faces, they want to symbolize all the forces of evil that conspired and determined the death of the Lord. In Delia the classic sacred representation of the Passion takes place. The priests and soldiers to the roll of drums go to capture Jesus, condemn him and take him to Calvary.

In Aidone on Easter Sunday the "Santuna", that is the Apostles, who popular imagination loves to imagine as gigantic, run to announce the good news to the Madonna. They are made of papier-mâché, covered in purple, light blue and red cloth. Their tall bust is placed on the shoulders of a man, in their hands open forward they carry bouquets of flowers. Paradoxically these giants with tiny legs do not appear grotesque, they do not move to laughter: such is the sweetness, the gentleness and the solemnity that the craftsmen have been able to infuse in their expressions.