Easter in Ferla – Holy Week Rites

A Holy Week tradition spanning over 150 years

In the heart of the Iblei Mountains, the small baroque village of Ferla, in the province of Syracuse, preserves one of the most intense and scenic religious traditions in Eastern Sicily. The Ferla Holy Week Rites have their roots in the 19th century and have been celebrated continuously for over a century and a half: a popular devotion so deeply ingrained that it continued, hidden within the churches, even during the World Wars. Today, this extraordinary intangible heritage is recognized as a core identity element of the Municipality of Ferla and the entire Iblei area.

Rites from Holy Thursday to Good Friday

Celebrations unfold throughout Holy Week, involving the village's eight churches. On Holy Thursday, the Altars of Repose, known in dialect as I Sepurcuri, are set up and adorned with flowers and wheat sprouts. In the evening, to the cry of "Ecce homo!", U Signuri a Culonna, the scourged Christ, is presented. Good Friday is dominated by the passion and death of Jesus, featuring the adoration of the Cross and the evocative A Scisa a Cruci, the representation of the deposition of Christ's body from the cross, a gesture echoing that of Joseph of Arimathea.

The Sciaccariata: the ritual that brought Ferla to the world

The most anticipated moment is A Sciaccariata, which takes place at midnight between Holy Saturday and Easter Sunday. The statue of the Risen Christ leaves the Church of the Carmine and is carried on the shoulders of local youths to the highest point of the village, accompanied by thousands of sciaccare, bundles of dry shrubs that serve as torches. The village, home to only a few thousand inhabitants, transforms into a small town illuminated by a river of fire: a triumph of flames, shouts, and emotion that culminates with street artist performances in Piazza San Sebastiano.

U Scontru: the Easter Sunday embrace

Easter Sunday begins at dawn with Mass and the giro delle Sette Vaneddi, the search for the Madonna, draped in black, through the alleys of old Ferla. At noon, along the Via Sacra, U Scontru takes place: the encounter between the Risen Christ and his Mother. The "manto puller" removes the black veil covering Mary, releasing her from the sorrow of Lent, in one of the most moving moments of the entire festive calendar. A week later, on the Octave of Easter, children repeat the same rites with A Sciaccariata de carusi and U Scontru de carusi.

Flavors and hospitality

Beyond the religious dimension, Easter in Ferla is also a celebration of community and taste: in the village, you can savor typical Iblei products, from fresh ricotta to cassatelle, the stars of the food festival that accompanies the evenings. Visiting Ferla during these days means immersing yourself in an authentic Sicily, where faith, folklore, and village identity merge into an unforgettable experience.