Holy Week in Licata

The Holy Week in Licata

In the heart of the southern coast of Sicily, the town of Licata, in the province of Agrigento, experiences one of the most intense and participatory Holy Weeks on the island every spring. For over a week, from the Addolorata to the Risen Christ, Licata's historic center transforms into a grand stage for popular faith, where brotherhoods, wooden statues, and crowds of devotees renew rites that trace their roots back to the centuries of Spanish rule.

The Passion Processions

The cycle begins with the feast of the Addolorata of Sant'Agostino, a cult rooted since the 18th century: the wooden statue of the Madonna is carried in procession along the main streets to the Mother Church, accompanied by the ancient tradition of barefoot women as a sign of penance. This is followed by the Palm Sunday translation, the procession of the Christ at the Column organized by the Confraternity of Charity—whose 18th-century statue is now displayed in the cloister of San Francesco—and the return on Holy Thursday.

Good Friday

Good Friday is the true highlight of the commemoration, drawing numerous emigrants back to Licata. The day is organized by the Confraternity of San Girolamo della Misericordia, founded in 1578 and based in the church of San Girolamo, in the heart of the ancient Marina district. At the cry of "Misericordia," the procession of the Christ the Cross-bearer begins, with the brothers elegantly dressed in tailcoats, starched shirts, and white gloves. The most touching moment is the "giunta", the meeting between Christ and the Sorrowful Madonna in the town square. In the afternoon, the crucifixion rite is celebrated, and after the deposition, the artistic gilded urn, carved in wood and covered in pure gold leaf—a work by the sculptor Perez (Catania, 1900)—is brought out. The procession advances with the "annacata," a slow, rhythmic pace accompanied by funeral marches and the beating of drums.

The Risen Christ and Traditions

Easter concludes the cycle with the joyful procession of the Risen Christ, known as "Gesù cu munnu in manu" (Jesus with the world in his hand), which departs from the church of the Most Holy Savior, organized by the homonymous brotherhood, a symbol of rebirth and hope. Gastronomic traditions linked to the rites are also essential: pasta alla milanisi, spaghetti seasoned with fresh sardines and wild fennel, and muffuletti, fragrant bread rolls with spices and sesame or fennel seeds.

A Licata Identity Heritage

Blending the sacred and folklore, the Holy Week of Licata is much more than a series of religious celebrations: it is an identity heritage that unites entire generations, centuries-old brotherhoods, and neighborhoods around the memory of the Passion. Live streaming by Lanterna Tv now allows everyone, even those far from Licata, to follow the processions from the Addolorata to the Risen Christ.