Living Via Crucis of Altamura

A tradition rooted in the city of the Murgia

The Living Via Crucis is one of the most heartfelt events in the Easter calendar of Altamura, in the province of Bari, in the heart of the Apulian Murgia. Every year, on the Saturday before Palm Sunday, the San Sepolcro district turns into an open-air theater where the neighborhood streets become the backdrop for the Passion of Christ. The event is organized by the Santo Sepolcro Parish and symbolically marks the start of the solemn Holy Week rites in Altamura.

The sacred performance

Reaching its twenty-eighth edition in 2026, the Living Via Crucis retraces the path of Jesus to Calvary through living tableaux, acting, costumes, and scenery. Dozens of volunteers—actors, youth, catechists, and members of the parish community—bring the characters of the Passion to life as the sacred procession winds slowly through the streets. Everything, from the costumes to the logistics, is meticulously handled by the parishioners, who passionately renew this ancient testimony of popular faith every year.

The route through the neighborhood

The procession departs from the Santo Sepolcro Parish and crosses Via Monte Calvario, Via Manzoni, and Via Annibale Maria di Francia up to the Institute of the Daughters of Divine Zeal, then continues along Via Spalato, Via Dogali, Via Golgota, Via delle Cappelle, and Via Rodi, ending in the parish sports field. The very names of the streets in the district—Via Monte Calvario, Via Golgota, Via delle Cappelle—reflect the centuries-old devotion of this area of Altamura to the memory of the Passion.

A community event

The Living Via Crucis is not just a show, but a moment of spirituality and reflection that involves the entire neighborhood community and attracts numerous faithful and spectators from across the city. Popular participation remains strong even when the late-winter chill accompanies the evening: it is a testament to how deeply rooted this tradition is in the city's fabric. For Altamura, a city known for its PDO bread, the Frederick cathedral, and the Altamura Man, this event represents one of the most authentic expressions of Apulian popular religiosity.