Easter in Calabria: The Celebrations of Badolato
If there is one thing I learned from my time living within the charming cobbled streets of a Calabrian village, it was this: The Calabresi sure do love a procession.
Want an excuse to celebrate, dress up, fill the streets, and get out the full brass band? The locals are out in full force. These traditions have been passed down through centuries, and are often deeply connected with religion and the Catholic church. It will come as no surprise then that Easter is a big occasion on the calendar.
As with the food, dialects, and other customs in Calabria, the celebrations surrounding Easter are very particular to every single village. Many will have some sort of procession or re-enactment of the holy story, but there is no cookie-cutter approach that they all follow. So, if you’re looking to visit the region during this period, you’re best doing your research beforehand.
Planning your visit
Events will take place all over the Easter period, and the big day for many towns is Easter Friday. Some visitors are surprised to see – the tall and conical hooded figures in many of these processions may look reminiscent of the KKK! But the roots of these traditions actually come from the Spanish occupation of southern Italy in the post-medieval period, and you will see similarities in the Holy Week celebrations of Andalusia, Spain.
Visiting Calabria during the Easter period means a time of food, family and hospitality – the three things that Italians do best. So read on to discover some of the unique spectacles to enjoy.
Settimana Santa in Badolato
Badolato is a tiny village perched on the hillside in
Catanzaro’s province, and I would consider it my second home. I’d heard of the famous Easter celebrations for many years, and had the privilege of witnessing the celebrations in 2022.
On almost a daily basis during the Holy Week, you’ll awake to the sound of drums. The town hums with activity and anticipation.
Floats and statues are processed through the town to depict the full Easter story, accompanied by young and old, and even those in pushchairs. Participants don colourful blue, red and black capes of each village confraternity. These brotherhoods of Badolato mark neighbourhoods of the village and their churches, and each plays a role within the devotional celebrations.
It’s on Easter Saturday that these celebrations reach a crescendo. Over 200 people from Badolato join the parade which winds its way through the historical alleyways of the village. Starting at the beautiful Church of the Immacolata, the winding column of participants then takes 8 hours (yes, 8 hours!) to follow a carefully planned route around the village. Visiting every single one of the 14 churches, taking their time to stop and chant, sing and drum, the procession is a sight to behold. And that’s before we’ve even started on the costumes…
The conical white hats and crowns of thorns are worn by those who flog themselves with metal noisemakers. Cross-dressing Roman soldiers wearing flowery pantaloons symbolise the genderless angels. Hebrews are dressed head-to-toe in yellow, yelling and beating Jesus as he carries the cross. And playing Jesus or the other cross bearers must be the toughest job of them all. Arms roped to the wood, head swung forwards and a long wig covering their faces, they stumble through the town and up the hill. Now you know why the proceedings take 8 hours.
And if that wasn’t enough dedication… the participants are bare footed!
For a more leisurely experience of the parade for visitors,
join a local guide who will take you to the key spots of the parade – helping
you to discover the story and reach the best vantage points. And of course
break for a drink and meal in the sunshine whilst the locals continue their
(crazy!) rituals.
There is something else unique about the celebrations of
Badolato. As a big blow-out for the end of lent, the festivities continue well
into the evening. As if 8 hours of processions weren’t enough, celebrations will
now last all night with an event described as ‘the procession of the cantinas’!
Each medieval house within the village is on multiple stories, with the cellar (cantina) below for storing wine and produce. On this night, families open up their cellars and welcome locals and visitors alike to make their way from house to house, serving up wine, with tables laden with cheese and meats. Travel through the dark streets from one glowing cantina to the next, join for a chat, a dance, sing, and a few tunes on the guitar. Leave with a full belly after sampling the family’s wine, inevitably with a large handful of peas and beans to eat fresh from the pods. And then make your way to the next!
It’s an example of true Calabrian hospitality, and a chance to experience the true beating heart of the region. Don’t worry about language barriers – the people are welcoming, and proud to share their produce. It’s a unique experience to journey from a lively singing crowd to an intimate table of four smiling Calabrian uncles. And it’s the first time I’ve ever been served lasagne on bread. A slice of the dish balanced on a slither of bread makes it very easy to pass across the crowd to the person that’s just walked in the door!
Easter Celebrations Across Calabria
Badolato’s events are a spectacle that I would highly recommend visiting if you are spending Easter in Calabria. But there are other unique events across the region to discover over the period.
If you’re prepared for some gore, Verbicaro (in the Pollino National Park, province of Cosenza) offers one of the few remaining examples of the shocking ritual of flagellation. The bloody pagan ritual dates back to 1473, stemming from the concept of penance over the Easter period. Within this historic town, the nighttime ritual takes place at midnight on Good Friday, and the ‘Battenti’ taking part beat their own legs as they move through the town – to the point of drawing blood. This is mixed with splashing of wine and the brutal scene leaves the streets stained with red.
Due to the graphic nature of these photos, I won’t share on the blog, but a quick search of ‘Verbicaro Battenti’ will surface them if you’re interested!
Or for a more family-friendly affair, the processions of the Pupazze of Bova take place on Palm Sunday. Female shaped statues (depicting mothers and daughters) are woven from olive and palm branches, decorated with flowers, fruit and vegetables, and carried high above their heads as the people journey through the town.
Have you celebrated the Easter period in Italy? Do you have any local traditions similar to these? We’d love to hear your stories – comment below!
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