O Santa Cruci (Sacred Representation of the Passion)

A people's Passion at the Calvary of Bisacquino

O Santa Cruci is the sacred representation of the Passion of Christ that, every year as Easter approaches, brings the Calvary of Bisacquino to life—a small town in the hinterland of the Province of Palermo, Sicily. The show stages the final hours of Jesus: from his entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, through the night in the Garden of Olives, to the trial and crucifixion. The natural scenery is the Calvary itself, a local monument featuring an Italian-style garden topped by a cross, which serves as the ideal stage for the emotional crescendo of the performance.

The Lamentanze, the soul of the event

The heart of O Santa Cruci lies in the Lamentanze, ancient Easter dirges in the Bisacquino dialect dating back to the 18th century, traditionally sung during Good Friday rites. Unique in their kind, these sacred melodies have been passed down orally for centuries and accompany the unfolding scenes, imbuing the performance with a sense of deep spiritual intensity. The Lamentanze were transcribed by Totò Ragusa and Father Calogero Di Vincenti, and arranged by Giovanni Costa and Lucio Bacile.

A community project

The performance involves over thirty people, including actors and extras, all residents of Bisacquino and non-professionals, who undergo a dedicated theatrical training program. Costumes and sets are created by local artists and craftsmen, aiming to showcase local resources. The direction and artistic supervision are entrusted to Maria Angela Sagona, a professional actress and director from Bisacquino, founder of the CineCulTurArt Association, which manages the event.

History and tradition

The first modern performance of O Santa Cruci dates back to 1994, when it was staged on Holy Saturday. The current version, directed by Maria Angela Sagona, debuted on March 23, 2023, on the eve of Palm Sunday, a date chosen for subsequent editions as well. The initiative is part of the "Bisacquino, village of cinema and the arts" project, funded by the Ministry of Culture under the PNRR, which aims to turn the small Sicilian village into a hub for arts and performance.

Why it is worth visiting

More than just a show, O Santa Cruci is a collective ritual that weaves together popular devotion, theater, and dialectal memory. For those visiting the Province of Palermo during the Easter period, it is an opportunity to discover an authentic tradition of the Sicilian hinterland, far from tourist circuits, where an entire town becomes the interpreter of its own history and faith.