Living Via Crucis of Sturno

A Passion of Christ that comes alive in the town streets

The Living Via Crucis of Sturno is much more than a procession: it is an immersive theatrical performance that, for one afternoon, turns the historic centre of this town in the province of Avellino, Campania, into a vast open-air stage. Costumes, sets, and living tableaux recreate the atmosphere of Jerusalem two thousand years ago, while the audience follows the procession on foot from station to station, from the arrest of Jesus to the crucifixion.

The event traditionally falls on Palm Sunday, marking the beginning of Holy Week, and takes place in the late afternoon: the light gradually fading over the village streets accompanies the dramatic crescendo of the narrative and is an integral part of the staging.

Over thirty years of community history

The re-enactment has been running for over thirty years, reaching its 32nd edition in 2026. Born as a youth initiative around the parish, it has consolidated over time to become one of the town's defining events: a collective ritual where entire families pass down roles, sew costumes, and set up the scenes. The 2026 edition was dedicated to the memory of "Roy," a choice that speaks volumes about how deeply rooted the event is in the community's emotional life.

How it works

The procession starts from the main town square and continues along the streets of the centre, with stops at the various scenic tableaux. In recent editions, the departure has been set at Viale Puccini, with Piazza Michele Aufiero, in front of the War Memorial, serving as a key landmark. The performance lasts approximately three and a half hours and involves dozens of costumed performers, including actors, volunteers, and local citizens.

• Itinerant re-enactment, entirely outdoors
• Dozens of performers in period costumes
• Open to all, no tickets required
• Audience drawn from across the Alta Irpinia region

Organisers

The event is promoted by the SS. Domenico e Francesco Parish in collaboration with the Pro Loco Sturno 2004 and the Agapesport APS association, with the patronage of the Municipality of Sturno. This organisational structure is repeated year after year, ensuring continuity for a now well-established tradition.

Sturno and the Ufita Valley

Sturno is a small town of just over three thousand inhabitants, nestled at an altitude of about 660 metres in the Ufita Valley, about fifty kilometres from Avellino. It is a land of hills, olive groves, and small villages, known for its DOP extra virgin olive oil and cured meats like soppressata and capicollo. The patron saint is Saint Dominic, celebrated on August 8th.

Holy Week, however, is the most intense moment of the local calendar: in addition to the Living Via Crucis, the Sturno tradition preserves the Sabburco, the altar of repose for Holy Thursday adorned with wheat sprouts and spring flowers, and the Tammurro, the unique procession that begins at midnight to the sound of a drum to awaken the town. Visitors arriving in Sturno for the Via Crucis will find a complete system of popular rites that are still very much alive, typical of the Campanian hinterland.

Why it's worth the trip

Unlike large tourist re-enactments, the Sturno event remains a deeply local affair: there are no grandstands or tickets; you walk alongside the actors and the residents. It is this participatory dimension, combined with the care taken in the set design, that makes it one of the most authentic experiences of the Irpinian Easter in Campania.