The Holy Week in Taranto: religion and tradition in the streets of the old town.
Religion in Italy covers a very important role in most people’s life. This aspect reflect also in tradition and events, expecially in South Italy.
In Apulia, Taranto is getting ready to perform the Holy Week rites after a 2 years pause due to the pandemic situation.
The old sea-town is famous for to the religious traditions that take place in the week between the Palm Sunday and Easter.
During this time, the “Carmini” and the “Addolorata e San Domenico” confratraternities join in a rich calendar of appointments.
The Holy Week rites in Taranto
The two groups meet after the Palm Sunday celebrations and the town consigns them the statues they will carry around the streets.
On Holy Thursday the “Processione dei Perdoni” takes place at 3 PM.
Couples of brothers of the confraternity stroll around the town’s churches bare foot and wearing traditional costumes and visit the “sepocri”.
They walk the streets following the slow and fluttery rythm of the so-called “nazzicate”.
When they finish their tour, people get ready for the “Processione dell’Addolorata”. They start theyr tour at Midnight from San Domenico Maggiore’s church.
The Virgin Mary Grived statue guides the walk and funereal music and traditional figures accompany her.
The procession lasts until 5 PM and ends in the Carmine’s church. This is the starting point of the “Processione dei Misteri”, which is considered as the most important rite.
During this event people take around Christ’s Passion statues with the “Troccola” and the marching band.
On Holy Saturday morning the Processione ends. People start to pray for the whole day until Easter Celebrations.
At Midnight the churches’ bells sing and announce Christ’s Resurraction. This moment is the end the Holy Week rites in Taranto.
Find out more and be updated about the Tarantine religious traditions on the Official Holy Week Website.