Easter in Sardinia: the Holy Week of Iglesias

In Iglesias, Sardinia, the Holy Week follows an ancient ritual, dating back to the Sixteenth Century: indeed, the Arciconfraternita del Santo Monte organizes the celebrations since the mid 1500’s, when it was founded. And during the Holy Week in Iglesias, the most important and characteristic moment is the Good Friday, the day of the Procession of Descenso.

The Procession of Descenso takes place at night, along the roads Iglesias. This is a ritual with a precise order: Matracconis announce the procession, followed by the drum and the Cross of the Arciconfraternita, by the Babbalottis (boys of up to thirteen years dressed in clothes typical of this event), the Association of Santissimo Sacramento and the G. Verdi music band.

At this point begins the “historical” part of the procession: Is Vexillas, two large painting cloths with the most important moments in the life of Jesus; Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus, who deposed the Christ in the tomb; two anonymous servants carrying the ladder for the deposition; two children representing St. John and the Magdalene; and finally the stretcher with an ancient wooden statue of Christ, followed by the Addolorata.

And the Procession of Descenso during Holy Week in Iglesias is attended by the Germans of the Arciconfraternita, strictly covered by a white dress with a hood of the same color.

 

Image source: www.flickr.com/photos/alexesan