Holy Week

Tonight began the first procession in town for Holy Week.  My town is one of three in Italy that still does the processions throughout town.  A man came to Santa Chiara before dinner tonight to try and explain what goes on.  He taught us about the history of the brotherhoods, how they wear different colored robes (that look like the KKK), and they used to turn all the lights out in town and only the light of the candles they hold led their way.  The processions each have a different statue of Jesus carried by the robed people, tonight being one representing the betrayal of Jesus by Judas.  They began at San Francesco, the church on the other side of town, and walked down the Corso (the Main Street of Italy) and then looped around the piazza by Santa Chiara and headed back to San Francesco. 

We had a front row view of the procession, and it was very interesting to watch.  It was led by men in white robes holding a cross, then men in black robes with another cross, and then men in blue with their own cross.  Those were the three brotherhoods – like the Italian frats.  At the back were men in white robes holding the statue of Jesus.  They processed through the lines of robed people and went into the church.  Behind the statue was a band playing some melancholy music to set the mood.  Then they all waited for the statue to come back out of the church and head back to San Francesco.

I can’t wait to see what the rest of the week brings – at midnight on Saturday/Sunday they rush into the church with a statue of the risen Jesus and there are fireworks and loud noises and they release a dove that represents Christ’s rising. 

Tomorrow we have a 6:45am bus to Tivoli to see Hadrian’s Villa and Villa d’Este. So NOT pumped for that early morning…but maybe another beautiful day full of gardens!

Cara Marie