Procession of the Mysteries of Trapani

A centuries-old tradition in the heart of Western Sicily

The Procession of the Mysteries of Trapani is one of the oldest and most famous religious events in Italy and among the longest in Europe. Every Good Friday, the historic centre of the Trapani capital turns into a grand stage for popular devotion: twenty sculptural groups made of wood and canvas, authentic masterpieces of sacred art, parade slowly through the city streets for nearly twenty-four consecutive hours, depicting scenes from the Passion and Death of Christ. It is a defining event for the entire community of Trapani and for all of Sicily.

The origins: the Confraternity and the guilds

The roots of the procession date back to the period of Spanish rule in Sicily. In the early 17th century, the Confraternity of the Most Precious Blood of Christ arranged for the creation of the first sculptural groups. Over the centuries, the custody and transport of the Sacred Groups were entrusted to the city's artisan guilds, the maestranze: carpenters, fishermen, bakers, metalworkers, greengrocers, fruit sellers, and many other trades that still maintain a living bond with their work today. In 1974, the Unione Maestranze (now an ETS) was founded, serving as the driving force behind this extraordinary ritual that has been repeated without interruption for over four hundred years.

The Mysteries and the 'annacata'

The twenty sculptural groups recount, in sequence, the episodes of the Stations of the Cross: from the Arrest to the Crowning with Thorns, from the Ascent to Calvary to the Crucifixion, ending with the Our Lady of Sorrows who closes the procession. Each group is carried on the shoulders by the massari with a characteristic swaying movement called annacata, marked by the rhythm of the ciaccole and accompanied by moving funeral marches performed by musical bands. It is a multisensory experience that blends popular religiosity, art, and daily life, leaving a profound impression on all who witness it.

Holy Week in Trapani

The Good Friday procession is the culmination of a calendar of rites that animate the entire Holy Week in Trapani. In the preceding weeks, the I Scinnuti take place—the evocative exhibitions of the groups in city churches. In the days leading up to Good Friday, the processions of the Madonna della Pietà dei Massari and the Madonna della Pietà del Popolo take place, serving as a prelude to the grand departure of the Mysteries.

Trapani, city of salt and sea

The event takes place in the Municipality of Trapani, the capital of the province of the same name, on the westernmost tip of Sicily. Overlooking the Mediterranean, between the salt pans and the Egadi Islands, Trapani offers visitors a Baroque historic centre of rare beauty, the ideal setting to experience one of the most intense Easter rites in Southern Italy.