Canti di Passione – Ce Custi o Gaddho na Cantalisi

A festival of sacred Holy Week chants

The Canti di Passione – Ce Custi o Gaddho na Cantalisi is a traveling festival dedicated to the sacred and devotional chants of Holy Week. Every spring, it travels through the villages of Grecìa Salentina, in the province of Lecce, Puglia. The title, in the Griko language, evokes the crowing of the rooster that accompanies the story of the Passion, according to the Grecanic tradition of this corner of Salento, where a language of Hellenic origin still survives. The event is promoted by the Union of Municipalities of Grecìa Salentina with the participation of the "Diego Carpitella" Institute of Mediterranean Cultures, the support of the La Notte della Taranta Foundation, and artistic direction by Antonio Melegari.

The Martano stop

In the Municipality of Martano, considered the capital of Grecìa Salentina, the festival finds one of its most popular settings. The heart of the event is Piazza Assunta, which also serves as the starting point for the Borghi della Passione (Villages of the Passion) guided tour: a walk through the squares, towers, and baron palaces of the historic center—including the baron palace, the castle tower, the mother church, and the clock tower—where singing becomes a public expression of faith and identity. Bands, choirs, and folk singers take turns on stage, with guests also arriving from other Italian regions.

Music, rituals, and Griko memory

The festival was born from the desire to preserve and promote an ancient intangible heritage: the songs performed by the cantori (singers) of Salento during Lent and Holy Week, passed down from generation to generation. Each edition involves dozens of choirs and folk groups, confraternities, and guest ensembles, totaling over three hundred and fifty artists who bring nearly two weeks of events to life across the municipalities of Grecìa Salentina, with stops also in Lecce and Alessano.

• "Borghi della Passione" guided tour through the squares, towers, and baron palaces of Martano;
• Performances by brass bands, choirs, and traditional Salento singers;
• Guest ensembles from other regions and Arbëreshë communities;
• Rediscovery of the Griko language and Holy Week rituals;
• Free admission to all events.

An identity-defining event for the Municipality of Martano and Puglia

For the Municipality of Martano and the entire Grecìa Salentina area in the province of Lecce, Canti di Passione represents a moment of strong cultural and spiritual identity. The festival weaves the religious heritage of Holy Week with the ethnomusical richness of the territory, offering residents and visitors an authentic experience of listening and reflection among the squares and churches of Salento. Admission to all events is free.