Domenico Explains Easter in Abruzzo

​Easter in Abruzzo is a special time of year. It runs a close second to Christmas in terms of importance.

Solemn religious processions are held in Italian cities and towns on the Friday or Saturday before Easter. Parade participants are often dressed in traditional ancient hooded costumes, and olive branches are often used along with palm fronds in the processions and to decorate churches.  The procession starts at the church with participants carrying the statue of Jesus swaying rhythmically to solemn funeral music and a sort of crying type singing in Latin. These processions are used to remember Jesus' life through the stations of the cross.

The oldest Good Friday procession in Italy is in Chieti right here in Abruzzo. The procession, with Secchi's Miserere played by 100 violins, is very moving.

Sulmona (a small town near us) celebrates Easter Sunday with La Madonna Che Scappa in Piazza.  On Easter Sunday people dress in green and white, colors of peace, hope, and resurrection, and gather in Piazza Garibaldi. The statue of the Virgin Mary is dressed in black. As she moves toward the fountain (carried by citizens in green), doves are released and the statue is suddenly dressed in green. Music and feasting follow.

Italian children wake up on Easter morning to a boiled egg and sweet bread breakfast then it's off to church in a specially chosen elegant dress. After church, they attend the village parade (procession) and spend the day with their families. After a big lunch, the children are presented with their Easter treat. In years gone by, their grandparents or parents would give them a sweet cookie treat (made by hand) called Cavallo (horse) for the boys and Pupa (doll) for the girls.  It looks like a sugar cookie in the shape of a horse or a doll, decorated with colored icing with an egg in the middle  Nowadays, many children are given a commercially produced hollow chocolate eggs with a prize inside.

Traditional Easter lunch across Abruzzo includes timballo, (an Abruzzi lasagna made with white sauce, ground beef, artichokes, and zucchini), slowly cooked lamb or goat with artichokes and a special Easter bread called 'Pizza di Pasqua' and for dessert - Colomba, a dove-shaped sweet bread.  'Faidoni' is another sweet cookie made and shaped by hand that would be served to visitors during Easter week.

Easter Monday is a public holiday throughout Italy so most families set out on a family hike up to the nearest mountain and then sit down for a (hopefully) sunny afternoon picnic consisting of arrosticini or sausage on the grill, cheese, and Pizza di Pasqua. Some cities hold dances, free concerts, or unusual games, often involving eggs.  There is always a band in the piazza and of course, wine.

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