Talking about Holy Week in Molfetta is really an understatement! In fact, already from midnight between Shrove Tuesday and Ash Wednesday, you begin to breathe the scent of the traditions and rites of Lent with the Procession of the Cross which winds through the main streets of the city, reminding everyone that we are entering a period of penance and reflection.
Add to this that an ancient custom of the city has recently been recovered: hanging the cd in one of the alleys of the historic center Quarantana. This year, in truth, it was hung at the entrance of the entrance arch to the historic center of the city. It is a little old woman, all dressed in black, representing the days of fasting in anticipation of Easter; it carries an orange in which seven feathers are stuck, symbolizing the Sundays that separate us from Easter, the day in which the old woman is burned.
Surely on the Friday before Palm Sunday we enter the heart of the Lent rites with the P.procession of the Blessed Virgin of Sorrows, carried on the shoulder by the brothers of the Archconfraternity of death, characterized by the typical black sack. The procession starts from the Church of Purgatory at 16 pm and after 8 hours around the historic center and the main arteries of the city center, it returns to the Church by midnight. It is obviously attended by the confreres, the religious, the women of the Pious Association of Maria SS Addolorata, completely dressed in black and a large number of simple believers. Everyone carries a candle in their hand and during the procession the prayers alternate with funeral marches, poignant music, a real soundtrack of this particular period of the year for all lovers of tradition and for believers. The funeral marches are performed by the band following the procession, in particular points of the route, the most characteristic ones, to create greater transport and charm.
Turning to the actual Holy Week, the Holy thursday after the afternoon liturgical ceremonies, the churches prepare their repositories, the cd sepulchers, in an artistic way, decorating them with flowers, candles, lights and elements of poor art. The city is packed with local visitors and tourists ready to visit the tombs, which according to tradition must be visited in odd numbers. The boys and not only, often spend the whole evening around, refreshing themselves with the CD pizzarello, a loaf with elongated ends stuffed with tuna and for those who want it also with further variations (capers, tomatoes, anchovies…). This serves to remain in force to witness the most suggestive of the processions: the Procession of the Holy Mysteries which begins at 3.30 on the morning of Good Friday in absolute silence, broken only by funeral marches and prayers, and especially in the darkness of the old town of the city. The procession starts from the church of Santo Stefano and sees the succession of statues representing the Calvary of Jesus before his death. In order we have: Jesus in the Garden of Olives, followed by Jesus at the Column (scourged), Jesus crowned with thorns, Jesus at Calvary and finally Jesus Dead… the most awaited and most respected statue. The confreres in fact have their hoods lowered as a sign of respect and not to be recognized by the crowd that looks at them and follows them. The procession lasts 9 hours returning to the Church of Santo Stefano in the morning of Good Friday.
Finally, on Holy Saturday the procession of the famous statues of the Saints realized by Giulio Cozzoli, a sculptor from Molfetta who made them all in papier-mâché. I must say that they are really beautiful, of a unique expressiveness and so real that they seem to want to come to life. This procession starts in the Church of Purgatory at 11.30 on Saturday and sees the succession of 7 statues: San Pietro, La Veronica, Santa Maria Cleofe, Santa Maria di Salomè, Santa Maria Maddalena, San Giovanni Apostolo and the Pietà. The procession winds through the streets of the city until evening, when the rites of Holy Week conclude with the Easter functions that kick off the feast of the Resurrection.
