Holy Week in Scano di Montiferro combines the thousand-year-old tradition of chanting with religious traditions. The three confraternities of Santa Croce, Santo Rosario and Anime Purganti organise the days of Holy Week, following the customs handed down over the centuries.
On Dominiga ‘e Prammas (Palm Sunday), in the hamlet of Montiferru the population parades waving handmade palms by the sos filadores, the expert weavers. The Sos confrades (the brothers) on the other hand, exhibit a depiction of episodes ranging from the last supper to the laying down of Christ in the Santa Croce sa Carta church.
Holy Wednesday celebrates the tradition of the ritual of donating oranges: the Prior and the sub-Prior gift the fruits to the other members of the confraternity.
On Holy Thursday, the s’Incravamentu rite is held which resembles a private ceremony. It is held in the San Nicolò church with the exclusive presence of the Prior and sub-Prior and the Prioress and sub-Prioress. The evening continues with the rituals of the Missa in Coena Domini and su Lavabu, which involve the entire community.
On Good Friday, during the via Crucis, the brothers of the Rosario and Anime carry the statue of s’Addolorada through the town’s streets, to commemorate sas chilcas (Mary’s searching). The presence of the torches on the via Crucis and the nènnere (grain sprout) steep the town in a sense of sacredness. Once the crucifix has been placed on the altar and the su Sepolcru prepared, the Santa Croce confraternity joins the via Crucis.
The procession of the body of Christ which reaches the church of San Nicolò is accompanied by chants in the form of su cuncurdu which end with the piece, Sette ispadas de dolore.
