The time of the year that best “represents” Sorrento and its traditions is certainly Easter Holy Week.
In fact, during this time, the Sirens Land becomes the setting of centuries-old traditions to which local people are passionally connected.
Starting from Palm Sunday and the symbolic exchange of sugarcoated almonds palms, the most evocative week of the year begins with the organization of events.
Liturgies in churches, historical representations and processions of hooded men along the streets of the town.
These are really the essence as well as the real tradition of Sorrento.
The Processions of Holy Thursday and Friday
They are processions with hooded dressed men, who commemorate the Passion and Death of Christ going through the streets of the town, carrying lamps, torches, martyrdoms (that are the symbols of the Passion and Death of Jesus).
The main purpose of the penitential processions is to visit the “sepulchres” set up in each church.
Each confraternity of the area organizes its procession, characterized by its own colour.
Until now, there are twenty hooded men processions prepared in these two days in the whole Sorrento Peninsula.
At first, the processions included only a group of hooded men – walking behind a cross – who sang Psalm 50, that is the Miserere; this ancient chant is the essential part of any procession; the most traditional and famous is the Gregorian chant.
There are three processions parading through Sorrento between Thursday and Holy Friday:
- The first one is prepared by the Venerabile Arciconfraternita del SS.mo Rosario;
- In the night between Thursday and Holy Friday there is the white procession by the Arciconfraternita of Santa Monica;
- On Holy Friday evening the one of black hooded men by the Venerabile Arciconfraternita della Morte.
