Rites and traditions of the Alghero Holy Week
Easter in Alghero is a ritual that is repeated unchanged for centuries, jealously retains his Catalan imprint. Even today, an event strongly felt by the population that attracts faithful and tourists from all over Sardinia and from Spain’s Catalan community.
Among the many cities in which to celebrate Easter in Sardinia, Alghero is the ideal mix to learn about the traditions of a thousand-year-old island and the beauty of an area rich in history and nature.
HOLY WEEK IN ALGHERO: 31 March | 9 April 2023
The Holy Week is a celebration of popular faith, that fills the narrow cobbled and dark streets of the Alghero old town. Lit by thousands of red torches parading in a slow procession punctuated by chants and prayers of the faithful. Immersed in a sacred suggestion of great emotional impact.
Among the most significant there is the Process dels Misteris (Procession of the Mysteries). The six statues representing the Passion of Christ are carried on the shoulders all the way. Particularly valuable is the Christ of Alicante.
Delivered to the city by the sinking of the ship Santa Maria di Montenero in 1606, departed from Alicante direct to Genoa. The Santcristus, of Spanish wood has become a symbol of the historical and religious tradition of the Easter in Alghero.
The most awaited moment is certainly the rites of Desclavament – the Descending – from the Cross. This takes place on Good Friday. The statue of Christ is laid in the golden casket renamed “bressol” (crib) and carried in procession through the old town followed by the “Jermans Blancs” hooded Spanish confraternities, faithful in prayer in a long dark path lit only by the red torch.
The traditional choirs all along the way represent the partecipation and the culture of all Sardinia people.
The faithful and visitors arriving to celebrate Easter in Alghero willing to let be fascinating by these deep traditions that the people jealously handed down through the passage of time in preserving the memory.
The culture, the traditions still so alive in this corner of Catalan Sardinia
CALENDAR OF THE EVENTS 2023
MARCH 31
Passion Friday
8.00 pm – Procession of the Addolorata
Route: from the Church of San Francesco, via C. Alberto, Piazza Duomo, Via Santa Barbara, Via Cavour, Via
Don Deroma, Via P. Umberto, Via G.Ferret, Via Simon, Via Roma, Via C. Alberto, Church of San Francesco,
Return of the Confraternity to the Church of Mercy.
2 APRIL
Palm Sunday
10.00 – Blessing of the Palms in the Church of San Francesco. Procession to the Cathedral.
10.30 – Cathedral: Holy Mass celebrated by the Bishop Father Mauro Maria Morfino.
APRIL 4
Holy Tuesday
20.00 – Procession of the Mysteries
Route: from the Church of San Francesco, Via C. Alberto, Piazza Duomo, preaching in the Cathedral, Piazza Duomo, Via Santa Barbara, Via Cavour, Via Don Deroma, Via P. Umberto, Via G. Ferret, Largo San Francesco, Via Kennedy , Via XX Settembre, Via S.Agostino, Via V.Veneto, Via V. Emanuele, Via Roma, Via C. Alberto, Church of San Francesco, return to the Church of the Misericordia.
APRIL 6
Holy thursday
10.00 am Cathedral of Santa Maria: Chrism Mass presided over by Father Mauro Maria Morfino and concelebrated by the Priests of the Diocese
6.30 pm Cathedral of Santa Maria: Mass in “Coena Domini” presided over by Father Mauro Maria Morfino and rite of the washing of the feet
9.00 pm – Procession for the Eucharistic visit
10.00 pm Cathedral of Santa Maria: Eucharistic Adoration at the Altar of the Reposition.
APRIL 7
Good Friday
08.00 Cathedral of Santa Maria: Office of readings and Morning Lauds.
11.20 am Procession of the Via Crucis
Route: Misericordia Church, Via P. Umberto, Via G.Ferret, Via C. Alberto, Piazza Civica, Piazza Duomo, Cathedral
11.40 am Cathedral of Santa Maria: Raising of Christ. Afterwards, return of the Confraternity to the Church of the Misericordia
4.00 pm Cathedral of Santa Maria: Liturgical celebration of the Lord’s Passion presided over by Father Mauro Maria Morfino. Reading of the Passion of the Lord, Adoration of the Cross, Eucharistic Communion.
20.00 Procession of the Descent
Route: Misericordia Church, Via P. Umberto, Via G. Ferret, Via C. Alberto, Piazza Civica, Piazza Duomo, Cathedral of Santa Maria
8.30 pm Cathedral of Santa Maria: Descent function – external projection of the function in Piazza Duomo
9.30 pm – Good Friday procession
Route: Cathedral of Santa Maria, Via Santa Barbara, Via Cavour, via Don Deroma, Via P. Umberto, Via G.Ferret, Via Cavour, Bastioni C. Colombo, Via C. Alberto, Via G. Ferret, Largo San Francesco, Via Kennedy, Piazza Sulis, Lungomare Dante, Via Gramsci, Via Pascoli, Via Sassari, Via Carducci, Piazza della Mercede, Via Nuoro, Via S. Agostino, Via V. Veneto, Via V. Emanuele, Via Roma, Via C. Alberto , Via G. Ferret, Via P. Umberto, Church of the Misericordia.
APRIL 8
Holy Saturday
9.00 pm Cathedral of Santa Maria – Solemn Easter Vigil, Liturgy of Light, Liturgy of the Word, Baptismal and Eucharistic Liturgy presided over by Father Mauro Maria Morfino. The Algherese Polyphonic Choir accompanies the function
APRIL 9
Easter Sunday
9.00 Procession of the Madonna
Route: from the Church of San Francesco, Via C. Alberto, Bastioni C. Colombo (at the corner of Via C. Alberto), (Incontro)
09.30 Procession of the Risen Jesus
Route: Church of the Misericordia, Via Misericordia, Bastioni C. Colombo Ang. Via C. Alberto (Meeting)
09.45 am – Meeting of the Risen Jesus with the Madonna (Bastioni C. Colombo, corner of Via C. Alberto)
09.50 am Procession
Route: via C. Alberto, via G. Ferret, Largo San Francesco, via Kennedy, Via XX Settembre, Via La Marmora, Via V. Emanuele, Via Roma, Via C. Alberto, Piazza Civica, Piazza Duomo, Cathedral of Santa Maria
10.30 – Solemn Mass celebrated by Father Mauro Maria Morfino
12.00 – Return of the procession to the Church of the Misericordia: Piazza Duomo, Via Santa Barbara, Via Don Deroma, Via P. Umberto, Church of the Misericordia.
Distribution of blessed bread as a wish for a Happy Easter.
12.00 Cathedral of Santa Maria: Holy Mass
The faithful are invited to wear dark robes in the processions on Thursday and Good Friday.
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