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Tuscany is always beautiful: you dont really need special occasions to go. Spring and the begin of autumn are recommended, but also winter may be suggestive and summer, even if it can be more crowded, is definitely a good time. However, if you want to experience something authentic and unforgettable, Easter is the perfect chance to get to know ancient traditions and spectacular processions. A wide choice of holiday villas in Tuscany awaits you!
The religious tradition of Easter is deeply rooted in Italy, especially in the South, but also in Tuscany. Seeing Tuscany during the Holy Week allows you to get in touch with the true spirit of the Catholic tradition. Easter is the most important religious holiday for Catholics: the Passion, Death and Resurrection of Christ are commemorated and relived through sacred representations and processions. This year, Holy Week begins on the 20th of March (Palm Sunday). Holy Thursday is on the 24th, Good Friday on the 25th. Easter Sunday is on the 27th of March.
Holy Week in Castiglion Fiorentino
The celebration of the Holy Week in Castiglion Fiorentino is really unmissable. Castiglion Fiorentino is a walled city in the province of Arezzo, between the cities of Arezzo and Cortona, known for its annual festivals and the Etruscan archeological site. This lovely town hosts several events during Easter: the processions wind through the streets in the night, raising fascination and amazement. They are animated by the participation of the various "confraternities" that, dressed in the traditional hooded capes, carry crosses and statues representing the Passion of Christ. The processions start from the churches that house the statues, and then return to the same churches after a tour of the town, in the torchlight.
Good Friday is the most evocative and interesting procession: you will see the Madonna statue, carried by the Pious Women, and the Dead Christ statue, carried by the Confraternity of Jesus, whose members wear blue hooded capes. Unmissable is also the celebration called La volata (The Flying): it takes place on Saturday at midnight, when the statue of the Risen Christ is carried along the central nave of the Church of San Francesco by the Brothers of the Confraternity of Jesus.
The Procession of the Scalzi in Pienza
The beautiful Pienza, a picturesque Renaissance jewel in Val dOrcia, in the province of Siena, hosts the fascinating "Procession of the Scalzi". It starts from 9.00 pm from the Cathedral: the statue of the Dead Christ is carried and twelve barefoot men, wearing hoods and bearing a torch, precede the Dead Christ statue and announce the arrival of the procession.
Easter in Radicofani
Radicofani, like Pienza, is also in Val dOrcia. This charming town hosts one of the oldest and captivating Easter processions in Tuscany. It starts on the evening of Holy Thursday, with a Mass that commemorates the Last Supper and the opening of the Sepulchre of Christ. After that, a procession known as "dark penance recalls the Death of Jesus. Twelve brothers of the Congregation of St. Agatha, wearing red hooded capes, and twelve brothers of The Congregation of Mercy, in white hooded capes, take part to the procession. On Good Friday, another spectacular procession starts at 9.30 pm from St. Peter's Church and arrives at the Church of St. Agatha, where the Worship of Calvary takes place. You will be able to admire also the altar, enriched by a beautiful decoration probably by the sculptor Andrea della Robbia.
Dont miss Easter Time in Tuscany: youll get in touch with colourful and folkloristic usages. The best way is definitely to rent a villa, so that you can enjoy your stay being immersed in the nature of the countryside and far from the crowd.
