Easter in Petralia Sottana
Holy Week in Petralia Sottana is full of suggestive and ancient liturgical, popular and processional rites that are expressed through sacred dramaturgy. Two particularly moving and fascinating celebratory moments in Petralia Sottana are the Good Friday procession and the Easter Encounter.
On Good Friday, the Congregations open the procession, followed by the Confraternities, both arranged in a specific order. The Sodalities are distinguished by the different colors of the uniforms. We proceed in single file, the superior carries the Cross with a crown of thorns, flanked by two brothers, holding an unlit torch. All the other Confreres follow. The Pious Women slowly parade side by side. They are played by young girls who traditionally do not have to be recognized in fact, either with hair or with a veil, must cover their faces in order to remain anonymous. There are also Jews with weapons and loricate uniforms and children in the guise of little angels. Having reached Calvary, a human chain made of faith, repentance, pathos, folklore and popular devotion honors the images of the Dead Christ and Mary of Sorrows that are carried out in procession in the Matrix.
Easter Day is represented the Search for the Son on the part of the Mother of Sorrows, but also and above all the joy of Mary in seeing and embracing the Risen Jesus again through the procession of the Easter Encounter, U 'Ncuontru. At noon on Easter the master of ceremonies give the necessary signals between the two statues, everything is scrupulously followed with attention. Three trumpet blasts, followed by three shots, are repeated: at the first, Christ and the Madonna take their first steps, at the second, they can be glimpsed, at the third, they run towards each other. The firecrackers are fired, the band intones the Eucharistic Hymn, the doves fly, the moved people applaud. In the procession the brothers arranged in pairs, wearing the "hoods", accompany the sacred and artistic images through the streets of the town.
Dates and Scheduling
13 Apr 2025
Palm Sunday
09:00 Holy Mass at the College.
10:30 Blessing of the Palms and Commemoration of the Entry of Jesus into Jerusalem in the Church of the College.
Procession to the Mother Church and Holy Mass.
10:30 Holy Mass at the Capuchin Convent.
12:00 Eucharistic adoration of the “Forty Hours”.
16:00 Via Crucis mimed and animated by the children and young people of the Oratory at Calvario.
17:00 Holy Mass at the Capuchin Convent.
18:00 Second Vespers and Eucharistic Benediction.
18:30 Holy Mass in the Mother Church.
14 Apr 2025
Community spiritual exercises.
09:00 Holy Mass.
Chiesa Madre Maria SS. Assunta
09:30 Eucharistic adoration of the “Forty Hours”.
17:30 Meditation, celebration of Vespers and Eucharistic blessing.
18:30 Holy Mass.
Chiesa Madre Maria SS. Assunta
15 Apr 2025
Community spiritual exercises.
09:00 Holy Mass.
Chiesa Madre Maria SS. Assunta
09:30 Eucharistic adoration of the “Forty Hours”.
17:30 Meditation, celebration of Vespers and Eucharistic blessing.
18:30 Holy Mass.
Chiesa Madre Maria SS. Assunta
16 Apr 2025
11:00 Holy Mass.
Chiesa della Misericordia
17:30 Chrism Mass in the Cathedral of Cefalù.
17 Apr 2025
18:00 Holy MASS “in COENA DOMINI”.
Cappuccini
21:00 Holy MASS “in COENA DOMINI” in the Mother Church and washing of the feet of the governors of the confraternities and congregations.
Adoration at the altar of repose until midnight.
Display of the images of the Dead Christ and Our Lady of Sorrows in the Church of the College.
18 Apr 2025
09:00 Opening of the Mother Church and personal adoration at the altar of repose.
Time for confessions.
Display of the images of the Dead Christ and Our Lady of Sorrows at Calvary.
16:00 Celebration of the PASSION OF THE LORD at the Capuchin Convent.
16:30 Celebration of the PASSION OF THE LORD in the Mother Church.
Chiesa Madre Maria SS. Assunta
18:00 GOOD FRIDAY PROCESSION.
In the Mother Church, sermon on the “Seven Words” held by Don Luigi Volante.
19 Apr 2025
10:00 - 12:00 Confessions in the Mother Church.
Chiesa Madre Maria SS. Assunta
16:00 - 18:00 Confessions in the Mother Church.
Chiesa Madre Maria SS. Assunta
20:00 EASTER VIGIL at the Capuchin Convent.
23:00 EASTER VIGIL in the Mother Church and traditional “Caduta du Tiluni”.
20 Apr 2025
09:00 Holy Mass at the College.
10:00 Holy Mass in the Mother Church.
Chiesa Madre Maria SS. Assunta
11:30 EASTER PROCESSION.
12:00 Traditional INCONTRO between the Risen Christ and the Mother.
12:30 Holy Mass in the Mother Church.
17:00 Holy Mass in Piano Battaglia.
18:00 Holy Mass at the Capuchin Convent.
18:30 Holy Mass in the Mother Church.
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References
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