Easter in Italy
[6] The Cavallo di fuoco is an historical reconstruction which takes place in the city of Ripatransone in the Province of Ascoli Piceno.
This is a day-long passion procession featuring 20 floats of lifelike sculptures made of wood, canvas and glue.
In 1571 "Pozzogottesi" obtained from the Grand Court of the Archbishop of Messina permission to elect their chaplain stationed in Saint Vitus no longer depend from the Archpriest of Milazzo.
The first procession is carried out in 1621 as a movement of protest against the Jurors of the city of Milazzo, under whose jurisdiction Pozzo di Gotto depended politically and physically by providing a distant village and as a vow and promise to break the bond of subordination constraint which was permanently discontinued on the 22 May 1639.
[9] The rites of the Holy Week in Ruvo di Puglia are the main event that takes place in the Apulian town.
The proof of the existence of the first Ruvestines confraternities can be found in the polyptych, a Byzantine work signed Z. T., depicting the Madonna with Child and confreres in which the inscription "Hoc opus fieri fec(e)runt, confratres san(c)ti Cleti, anno salut(i)s 1537" and preserved in the church of Purgatory, in the left aisle, the one dedicated to Saint Anacletus.
[12] Holy water is also used in Julian March, where half a glass is drunk on an empty stomach, before eating two hard-boiled eggs and a focaccia washed down with white wine.
[12] In Florence, the use of sacred fire has changed over time: before the year one thousand candles were in fact brought into the houses which were lit by a candle which was, in turn, lit through a lens or a flint; at the beginning of the 14th century, instead, three pieces of flint were used that according to tradition came from the Holy Sepulcher of Jerusalem.
[12] Later, the use of the sacred fire in Florence materialized in a chariot full of fireworks (Scoppio del carro).
[12] The Cavallo di fuoco is an historical reconstruction which takes place in the city of Ripatransone in the Province of Ascoli Piceno.
[7] The show goes back to 1682 when, on the occasion of celebrations in honor of the Virgin Mary, the local dwellers hire a pyrotechnician who, once the spectacle was over, took all his remaining fireworks and shot riding his horse.
[15] Italy is the second European country most visited by international tourists during the Easter holidays behind Spain and ahead of France and Greece.
[15] The Italian cities most visited by international tourists during the Easter holidays are, in order, Rome, Milan, Venice, Naples, Florence and Bologna.
[5] Cappello del prete (sometimes called tricorno) is a variety of Italian salume typical of Parma and Piacenza.
[20] Casatiello (Neapolitan: casatiéllo,[21] Italian: casatello) is a leavened savory bread originating from Naples prepared during the Easter period.
Its basic ingredients are flour, lard, cheese, salami, cracklings, eggs and black pepper.
The bread's name derives probably from the Neapolitan word caso (Italian: cacio, "cheese", hence casatiello), an ingredient that is part of its dough.
The dough is then fashioned into a dove shape (colomba in Italian) and finally is topped with pearl sugar and almonds before being baked.
[24] Pastiera is a type of Neapolitan tart made with cooked wheat, eggs, ricotta, and flavored with orange flower water.
: pizzella) are traditional Italian waffle cookies made from flour, eggs, sugar, butter or vegetable oil, and flavoring (usually anise or anisette, less commonly vanilla or lemon zest).
