The Singers of Zollino, Salento: “I Passiuna tu Christù”

The Easter and Holy Week rites are a true collection of traditions in southern Italy. The Puglia region and Salento are no exception. In the Grecìa (accent on the ì) salentina, nine small towns south of Lecce that still preserve the grìko (a modern Greek language), the Passion of Christ is a mix of pathos and tradition that is renewed.

To be clear, contrary to what one might imagine, the “Passion of Christ” is largely secular and only lightly religious, except for the story of Christ and his last days, sung by men (now also women) who for years renew the ritual and the moment. In Zollino, in the heart of the Grecìa salentina, halfway between Maglie and Lecce, the Passion of Christ held on Palm Sunday, is sung in the grìka language and is known as “I Passiuna tu Christù“.

The “Passion of Christ”: Origins

There is no certainty about the origins of the “Passion of Christ” of Zollino and the entire Grecìa salentina. No written records help reconstruct the origins of the Passion song, although it is believed to date back at least to the 1800s. After all, “The Passion of Christ” or, if you prefer, “I Passiuna tu Christù“, is passed down orally, and even the verses vary from village to village, both in number and text. Even within Zollino, the number of verses sometimes varies, being more numerous at times and reduced at others, perhaps for brevity (like when sung by children).

The melody, however, is almost always the same in the various centers of the Greek linguistic minority, except for the rhythm, which changes depending on the Singers and their respective towns.

The “Passion of Christ”: Palm Sunday

In Zollino, “I Passiuna tu Christù” takes place on Palm Sunday, at the end of the 11:00 AM Mass and, in recent years, it is sung first by children and then by adults (traditionally women first, then men). The symbol of the Singers and the Passion of Christ is the Palm (olive branches) adorned with some Holy Images as a form of protection and respect for Christ. In front of the Singers there are a few baskets for collecting offerings, decorated with colored ribbons, a symbolism often used in Salento. However, before reaching the church steps, the Passion song was traditionally held at street intersections to gather more tributes which, of course, are essential (out of respect and perhaps also superstition).

The Singers of the Passion

The formation of the Singers of the “Passion of Christ” is always the same: two male voices alternating in verses and an accordion player. In recent years, female voices have been added to the male voices, making the song even more engaging. However, singers are paired by gender. Therefore, a male singer pairs with another male, and vice versa for females. The historical voices of Zollino are Antimo Pellegrino (still active) and Tommaso Lifonso. Among the older women, there is Concetta Caputo, but young Singers have begun to make their space to carry on this ancient tradition. Among them, I like to mention Donato Tundo, Loreto Tondi, Maristella Maniglia, and Annunziata Tondi, accompanied on accordion by Mattia Manco.

The Song of Redemption

It is said that in the past the Catholic Church did not look favorably upon songs not “disciplined” by Christ’s followers, and even today the Passion Songs are held outside churches, at most on the church steps (as in Zollino). The dispute was somewhat reminiscent of Don Camillo and Peppone, here in Salento style.

The text of “The Passion of Christ” varies depending on who has sung it over the years, and even detailed research has failed to find a standard version of the song. Nevertheless, the origins leave no doubt. The Passion of Christ is a song of liberation and redemption for a peasant people. Many Singers of the Passion awaited Easter to collect a little money in offerings. Zollino, after all, is an agricultural center where high-quality legumes are now grown, and until the 1990s, tobacco cultivation supported most of the population.

For some years, from the late 1950s until 1975, the Passion of Christ of Zollino was abandoned and seriously risked being forgotten. Thanks to Giovanni Pellegrino and the Theater Workshop, who spent a couple of years in Milan where he had the chance to learn about Dario Fo’s theater, since 1975 the tradition has been firmly maintained, and new generations, wisely taught, continue the effort to keep afloat what their fathers had woven.

The Passion of Christ in this corner of Italy is the redemption of humble people, farmers. A song of belonging that holds an indescribable beauty. A treasure without glitter that sinks its treasures into the soul of unique and hospitable people.