Holy Week — Good Friday Procession

A Holy Week of ancient devotion

In Porto Empedocle, a seaside town in the province of Agrigento, Sicily—made famous by Andrea Camilleri's novels as his "Vigàta"—the Holy Week represents the most intense moment of the religious and civic calendar. The celebrations of the Paschal Triduum begin with the solemn Santa Messa in Coena Domini (Mass of the Lord's Supper) on Holy Thursday, followed by a procession that winds through the streets of the lower town until late at night, amidst prayers, music, and laments.

Good Friday: The Encounter and the Calvary

The heart of the rites is Good Friday. The morning opens with the procession of the Christ the Redeemer statue, which moves from the Mother Church until the moment of the "Encounter": here, the statue of Our Lady of Sorrows, kept in the Church of Santa Croce, reaches her Son to accompany him to the Calvary. The two statues proceed together along Via Roma towards the Mother Church, where the effigy of the Redeemer is replaced by that of the scourged Christ.

Crucifixion and Deposition

The body of the Lord is led to the square for the Crucifixion, amidst the weeping of the faithful in an atmosphere of profound contemplation. In the late afternoon, the Deposition takes place: the dead Christ, taken down from the cross and laid in a precious glass urn, is carried through the streets of Porto Empedocle.

• Procession of the Urn with the statue of the dead Christ
• Our Lady of Sorrows following the coffin, mourning her Son
• Funeral marches played by the brass band
• The poignant chants of the lamenters' choir

Conclusion and the wait for the Resurrection

The celebration concludes late in the evening, when Our Lady of Sorrows makes her sorrowful return to her Church of Santa Croce, awaiting the Resurrection. It is a rite that blends official liturgy with the emotional participation of the entire community, remaining one of the most attended events in the entire Agrigento area.

A defining appointment for the Municipality

For the Municipality of Porto Empedocle, Holy Week is not just a moment of faith, but a fundamental pillar of local identity, capable of drawing devotees, returning emigrants, and visitors alike. The dates follow the liturgical calendar: the 2026 edition took place on Good Friday, April 3rd.