The translation of the word Easter in the Italian language is „Pasqua“. This holy week is full of religious events all over Italy, which above all in the little medieval towns is very nice to attend. People take the cross of Jesus in silence through the streets of those towns and villages to remember the life of suffering of Jesus Christ.In Tuscany for example, in Grassina near Florence, every year there is a representation of the Passion of Christ on Good Friday. Around 500 people in medieval costumes arrange a procession through the streets of Grassina up to the Calvary. Arrived there, they re-enact scenes of the life before the Birth of Jesus Christ.
In Greve in Chianti they take up a steel wire rope from the church to the building opposite the church where they fix a plastic turtle which they “shoot” all over the place. The people get together in the square and form a guard of honour to accompany and applaud the turtle if she makes it to fly over the square and back.
In Assisi, Umbria, they put the cross of Jesus Christ on Holy Thursday in the Cathedral of San Rufino, a tradition which dates back to the 13th century. On Good Friday they take the cross from the Cathedral to the Basilica of St. Francis, an in the evening, in a long torchlight procession, they also take the statue of the Holy Madonna from the Cathedral to the Basilica.
In Todi, near Perugia, they re-enact the martyrdom of Jesus on his via Crucis.
Almost in all little towns they take the statue of the Madonna and of Jesus Christ through the streets in torchlight processions, very religious, to remember the death and the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
In the capital, Rome, themed “At Easter Rome will surprise you – When art becomes a spectacle”, they renew in the truest sense of the word, the traditional Easter customs and cultural visits and offer a wide ranging program with over 60 events in 19 squares of the Eternal City. The program takes five days and consists of many concerts, public performances, dances and pick-nicks. Most of the museums participate and offer or free entrance or to reduced prices.
But should there be little interest in religious and cultural customs and processions, but maybe preferable to use this week just to relax and to get spoiled, there are many thermal villages in Italy as for example in the region of Veneto, Abano Terme or Montegrotto Terme, where a complete restore of body and mind is guaranteed.
Except Veneto, there are also thermal villages in Tuscany, in Latium like Viterbo and Tivoli Terme and in many other regions all over the country.
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