Left (it would seem) behind the intense wave of cold and rain that has characterized the winter in Sardinia, the island is beginning to face the sun, a sign that spring is just around the corner. And the timing is perfect because it will soon be Easter, an ideal opportunity to discover Sardinia and its mysterious and evocative religious rites. Holy Week (in Sardinian Sa Chida Santa) in Sardinia is a unique experience fascinating, wrapped in an atmosphere of intense mysticism and deep spirituality. Centuries-old traditions of Spanish origin merge with local religious traditions in order to create rituals, processions and choral moments of great expressive power and influence. Lights and colors, traditional clothes and precious sacred objects, fabrics and gorgeous embroideries and the inevitable and poignant gosos, songs accompanying sacred rituals, offer to the visitor a journey of faith and religiosity full of emotions. During Holy Week, you can go on a spiritual journey filled with meetings: the procession of Mysteries, which staged the stages of Christ's Passion, Su Scravamentu, the deposition of the statue of Christ from the cross and S'Incontru, the encounter between the statue of Jesus and the Virgin Mary through the streets of countries. A particularly important role play the Confraternities who take care of the sacred plays, parade in their beautiful costumes, singing religious songs in Latin and Sardinian and jealously guard the ancient liturgical rites. Holy Week is commemorated in all areas of Sardinia, but the richest, most spectacular and most publicized celebrations are in Cagliari, Alghero, Iglesias and Castelsardo. Worthy of note are the rites and processions in Sassari, Oristano, Villacidro, Bosa, Cuglieri, Oliena, Orosei, Desulo, Sarule, Bortigali, Santulussurgiu, Aidomaggiore, Scano di Montiferro, Domusnovas and Sorso. The best solution, both in economic terms and in terms of comfort, to stay on the island in conjunction with this important week is book one of many Sardinia holiday rentals. This would also allow the visitor to manage all the freedom you want the time to explore the territory, which at this time is full of colors and scents. Returning to the rites of the Holy Week, in Cagliari begins on the Holy Friday before Palm Sunday with the Procession of Mysteries. On Holy Thursday
held S'Incravamentu (the Crucifixion), followed by a procession deeply felt, where the statue protector of the city, Sant'Efisio, is dressed in mourning and led through the streets of the city. The most suggestive, however, remains the Procession de S'Interru (funeral procession) of the Dead Christ. The celebrations end on Easter Sunday with S'Incontru, that the meeting of the statues of the Madonna dressed to the nines and the Risen Christ. In Alghero, the rites of Holy Week are closely linked to Catalonia for language and traditions. The most important rituals are those of Friday: after Disclavament, the pious ritual deposition, the body of Christ is accompanied in procession through the city on his deathbed. At sunset, the city is transformed in the light of Farols (torches) carried by women, and the street lamps covered with red veils. The rites of Holy Week in Iglesias have strong and obvious Iberian influences. The main procession is the procession of Mysteries, the Holy Tuesday, and those of Holy Friday, especially that of Descenso: it is a funeral procession in the darkness lit only by the flickering lights of the torches, the statue back in town. Holy Week in Castelsardo is one of the most engaging of Sardinia. The rite more exciting is the Procession of Mysteries, which takes place on Holy Monday, called for this Lunissanti. The most important issue is the night procession: opened by a human skull brought on a platter, it is accompanied by the light of torches and songs. The beautiful, mysterious and ancient rites of Holy Week in Sardinia are a great opportunity for a little vacation on island. Driven by religious tourism, linked to the celebration of the mysterious and evocative rites of Holy Week, the island attracts more and more tourists even outside of summer season.