Pietà

Holy Week in Arpino

The religious rites of Holy Week in Arpino, in the province of Frosinone, have been centred around the Procession of the Dead Christ for hundreds of years and take place mainly in the town's historical centre.

In the days preceding the procession, bare sepulchres are set up in the churches of Santa Maria della Pietà, San Michele Arcangelo, Sant'Andrea, Sant'Antonio, Santa Maria di Civita, Santa Maria del Carmine, San Rocco, and San Sossio, where lights and sprouts of wheat stand out.
The most striking one is set up in the Church of Santa Maria della Pietà by the Confraternita della Morte, founded in 1570. The church, which is only open for Easter rites, houses the statues of the Dead Christ, Our Lady of Sorrows and the Passion of Christ (depicting everything from the Shroud to the dice of Roman soldiers), which form part of the tomb and are then carried in procession.

On Friday, crucifixes, which according to tradition are supposed to illuminate the street for the passage of the Dead Christ, are made and displayed on the doorways and façades of the houses with a series of candles or a lighting system.

Once the procession is over, the scale of events becomes more familiar, while waiting for the Easter mass to be celebrated at midnight on Sunday.

Another widespread custom is that of eating the lamb's head during Saturday dinner, from which the nickname of the Arpinati may have originated: 'Ciocca d'agnegje' (lamb's head).