Holy Week in Sassari is a combination of echoes of Spanish and Jewish traditions, mixed in with Sardinian tradition. Four confraternities organise the ceremonies: Santa Croce, Santissimo Sacramento, the Servi and the Santissimi Misteri.
Holy Tuesday is organised by the Santissimi Misteri confraternity. The procession starts in the afternoon from the Sacra Famiglia church. The procession is preceded by lu Pabbarrottu (brother carrying the cross, with covered face) and is accompanied by the brothers wearing purple tunics. There is a notable contrast here between the drama of the choir of brothers and the cheerful voices of the children who crowd the centre dressed as little angels wearing the tunic of the confraternity they belong to.
Holy Wednesday is organised by the Santissimo Sacramento confraternity. The Madonna Addolorata procession leaves in the afternoon from the small church of Sant’Andrea. From here, the procession moves through the streets of the centre, stopping off at the churches of the Monache Cappuccine, the Servi di Maria and the Santissima Trinità. On Wednesday, the “tradeswoman ritual” is also held with Mary being dressed by the sisters.
On Holy Thursday, mass in Coena Domini, with the washing of the feet ritual, is celebrated at the church of the Santissima Trinità .
On Good Friday, during the traditional silence, the procession of the Madonna dei Sette Dolori also known as the Desolata is organised by the confraternity of the “Servi di Maria”. The ritual involves the cerche, Mary searching in the different churches and ending in the church of the Santissima Trinità. After this, with the lu scravamentu ritual, Jesus is brought down from the cross and laid in a coffin. The mass celebrated at the end is known as the missa fuggi fuggi.
On Easter Sunday, Christ’s resurrection is celebrated with the Incontro (meeting) ritual.
