Easter in Piana degli Albanesi
Gspata - CC4.0
The rites of Easter in Piana degli Albanesi highlight the ancient belonging of the population to the Albanian ethnic group and tradition. The Easter celebrations represent the greatest event of the Orthodox calendar, and it is therefore a religious event of strong spirituality, tradition and folklore.
The Easter celebrations in Piana degli Albanesi begin on the Friday preceding Palm Sunday, the day in which it is celebrated the Resurrection of Lazarus. On this day the choir made up of groups of young people, led by the papás, the priest, performs in the churchyard of the Cathedral, performing the ancient Albanian chant /strong> which recalls the resurrection of Lazarus. During the night, the choir moves through the streets of the city stopping by families who welcome guests by offering them eggs, sweets, drinks and dried fruit.
The day of Palm Sunday is remembered the entrance of Jesus in Jerusalem /strong>. The rite of blessing the palms and olive branches takes place in the church of S. Nicola di Mira, followed by a procession led by the Eparch who, holding a crucifix and a small palm tree, < strong> on the back of a donkey, wrapped in a cloak, it crosses mandías, the main street of the town up to the Cathedral, where the liturgical celebration takes place.
On Holy Thursday the representation of lavender takes place of the feet: the priest, who impersonates St. Peter, agrees to be washed by the bishop who, for the occasion, is deprived of the rich vestments, as he impersonates Christ.
On Good Friday, typical Albanian songs are performed, accompanied by the use of wooden instruments of Byzantine origin, which celebrate the Passion and Death of Christ. This is followed by the procession of the image of Christ, preceded by the Crucifix placed in an urn decorated with many flowers.
The triumph of Christ is celebrated on Holy Saturday. One of the most significant moments is the song of the three children of the prophet Daniel, sung by the papas in the Albanian language. Another characteristic moment occurs during the announcement of the Resurrection, when the Celebrant sprinkles the aisles of the church with laurel leaves, a symbol of God's glory. At midnight a procession formed by the clergy and the faithful moves towards the churchyard of the Cathedral, in front of the door closed. There follows a representation that celebrates the triumph of Christ over the forces of evil: the Celebrant orders the powers of evil, represented by a voice from inside the Church, not to obstruct the entrance of the procession, and after a short resistance, the doors of the temple open and the procession, singing songs in Albanian, enters the church flooded with light. The choral groups, after the liturgical function, parade through the city streets intoning the song of the Anástasis, the Resurrection.
On Easter Sunday, Pashkët, the Holy Veil, an ancient embroidered reliquary, is exposed and the procession of an icon, according to the Byzantine custom. This is followed by the solemn Pontifical which ends with the procession of women in traditional Albanian costumes of the 15th century . At the end of the procession, the blessing is given by the papas followed by the distribution of red eggs, a symbol of rebirth.
The Easter celebrations in Piana degli Albanesi begin on the Friday preceding Palm Sunday, the day in which it is celebrated the Resurrection of Lazarus. On this day the choir made up of groups of young people, led by the papás, the priest, performs in the churchyard of the Cathedral, performing the ancient Albanian chant /strong> which recalls the resurrection of Lazarus. During the night, the choir moves through the streets of the city stopping by families who welcome guests by offering them eggs, sweets, drinks and dried fruit.
The day of Palm Sunday is remembered the entrance of Jesus in Jerusalem /strong>. The rite of blessing the palms and olive branches takes place in the church of S. Nicola di Mira, followed by a procession led by the Eparch who, holding a crucifix and a small palm tree, < strong> on the back of a donkey, wrapped in a cloak, it crosses mandías, the main street of the town up to the Cathedral, where the liturgical celebration takes place.
On Holy Thursday the representation of lavender takes place of the feet: the priest, who impersonates St. Peter, agrees to be washed by the bishop who, for the occasion, is deprived of the rich vestments, as he impersonates Christ.
On Good Friday, typical Albanian songs are performed, accompanied by the use of wooden instruments of Byzantine origin, which celebrate the Passion and Death of Christ. This is followed by the procession of the image of Christ, preceded by the Crucifix placed in an urn decorated with many flowers.
The triumph of Christ is celebrated on Holy Saturday. One of the most significant moments is the song of the three children of the prophet Daniel, sung by the papas in the Albanian language. Another characteristic moment occurs during the announcement of the Resurrection, when the Celebrant sprinkles the aisles of the church with laurel leaves, a symbol of God's glory. At midnight a procession formed by the clergy and the faithful moves towards the churchyard of the Cathedral, in front of the door closed. There follows a representation that celebrates the triumph of Christ over the forces of evil: the Celebrant orders the powers of evil, represented by a voice from inside the Church, not to obstruct the entrance of the procession, and after a short resistance, the doors of the temple open and the procession, singing songs in Albanian, enters the church flooded with light. The choral groups, after the liturgical function, parade through the city streets intoning the song of the Anástasis, the Resurrection.
On Easter Sunday, Pashkët, the Holy Veil, an ancient embroidered reliquary, is exposed and the procession of an icon, according to the Byzantine custom. This is followed by the solemn Pontifical which ends with the procession of women in traditional Albanian costumes of the 15th century . At the end of the procession, the blessing is given by the papas followed by the distribution of red eggs, a symbol of rebirth.
You could be interested in where to stay in Piana degli Albanesi
You could be also interested in:
References
enjoysicilia.it is in no way responsible for any errors, omissions or changes due to unpredictable factors. We strongly invite you to check for any last-minute changes by visiting the website and social media of the event organizer whose links are indicated in the references field.
