Easter in Italy: Traditions and Rituals, from the Scoppio del Carro to the Madonna che Scappa

On Easter morning in Florence, a large cart drawn by white oxen is paraded through the city. It carries sacred fire, lit with stones from the Holy Sepulchre given to the Pazzi family in 1096, for the traditional Scoppio del Carro (Explosion of the Cart).

In Alghero, following ancient Aragonese customs, Holy Week begins the Tuesday before Easter with the Procession of the Sorrowful Mysteries. On Thursday, the Way of the Cross is celebrated, and on Friday, the ritual of taking down Christ from the cross precedes the procession starting from the Misericordia church.

Some villages commemorate the meeting between the Risen Christ and the Virgin Mary on Easter morning. One example is in the province of Ragusa: statues of Christ and the sorrowful Madonna are carried in procession. When the two statues meet, white doves fly from the Virgin’s cloak.

In Sulmona, Abruzzo, the famous “Madonna che scappa” procession takes place on Easter Sunday, as news spreads of the Resurrection.

A unique celebration is held in Prizzi (province of Palermo), where young people dressed as terrifying demons and Death roam the town. Those pointed to by Death are dragged into taverns and must buy drinks. In the afternoon, the meeting of Christ and the Madonna is re-enacted. Young people dressed as angels then capture the devils and bring them before the Madonna.

Some customs are inspired by Easter’s best-known symbol: the egg, representing life and fertility.

In Urbania, Pesaro province, Easter means the traditional Punta e Cul egg game: hundreds of hard-boiled eggs are arranged in an “S” and each participant selects one to battle against others by tapping the tip, then the bottom. The winner is the one whose egg remains unbroken.

In Tredozio, Forlì province, locals celebrate the Sagra e Palio dell’Uovo with competitions like egg knocking, running with an egg on a spoon, and hard-boiled egg eating contests. On Easter Monday, the Palio continues, challenging participants to roll a large fake egg through the town, hunt for an egg hidden in hay, and finish off with a raw egg battle.
Between games and age-old customs, Easter in Italy blends deep-rooted religious traditions with lively celebrations of spring’s arrival.