Sacred Representation of the Passion of Christ in Sezze

The Passion of Sezze: A collective ritual nearly a century old

Every year on Good Friday evening, Sezze—a village in the Lepini Mountains overlooking the Pontine Plain in the province of Latina—suspends time and transforms into a single, immense stage. The Sacred Representation of the Passion of Christ, known locally simply as the Passion of Sezze, is considered one of the most significant events of its kind on both a national and international level. Over 500 actors and extras in period costumes bring more than 40 living tableaux to life as they wind through the historic center, followed by tens of thousands of spectators.

From 17th-century roots to the 1933 revival

The tradition of the Sezze Passion dates back to the 1600s, when local confraternities animated the Holy Week rites. Its current form, however, was born in 1933, when lawyer Filiberto Gigli, in collaboration with Marcello Covoni of the Rome Opera House, reorganized the performance, establishing the scenic and choral structure that defines it today. Since then, the event has taken place without interruption, save for the forced pause during the pandemic (2020-2021), and has been awarded two medals by the President of the Italian Republic. The Passion of Christ Association of Sezze, which organizes the event, is a member of the European Europassion network.

Forty tableaux spanning the Old and New Testaments

This is not a simple procession; it is a traveling theatrical narrative that weaves together scenes from the Old and New Testaments, from Creation to Calvary. The tableaux, curated for decades by director Piero Formicuccia, the event's historic artistic director, move along the streets and squares of the village while the public watches from both sides of the route. Alongside the local performers—children, teenagers, and entire families involved generation after generation—professional actors also take part. The evening culminates in the crucifixion and the procession of the Dead Christ, accompanied by the confraternities.

An entire community on stage

The strength of the Passion of Sezze lies in its popular participation: makeup, hairstyling, and dressing the actors begin in the early afternoon of Good Friday, turning the town into a large theatrical workshop. It is a cultural heritage that the Municipality of Sezze and the Province of Latina strongly support, under the patronage of the Lazio Region and, in recent editions, the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies. For southern Lazio, it is one of the most anticipated religious and cultural events of the year.

Why attend

• Over 500 actors and extras in costume and more than 40 living tableaux
• An uninterrupted tradition since 1933, with roots in the 17th century
• The unique atmosphere of the medieval historic center of Sezze illuminated on Good Friday night
• A nationally recognized event, awarded by the Quirinale