When Easter gets close, Apulia starts with its traditions, processions, and above all, its kitchens. Long processions spread all over the little streets of the small towns, kitchens start to cook for this joyful event.

In this article, you will learn the traditions of Easter in Apulia, a tour in this region rich in folklore and typical food.

The Passion of Christ

The representations of the Passion of Christ in Apulia are real theatrical works. They show the last hours of Jesus’ life, and they usually take place on Palm Sunday or on Holy Friday. One of the most famous representations is the one in Alberobello. It is staged both in the historical center of the city and in the olive yards surrounding it.

The processions in Apulia

Easter is a Christian celebration, which is why there are many religious rites taking place during this period.
A very suggestive event is Processione della Desolata, in Canosa, near Bari. During this rite, many women cover their faces with a black veil and follow the statue of the Sorrowful Mother.

There is also the procession of the Sacra Spina (Holy thorn) in Andria, whose story is suspended between myth and reality. According to the legend, this thorn is subject to variations every time Holy Friday corresponds to the Annunciation (March 23rd). The variations that have been observed until now are the liquefaction of the purple strains on it, as well as gems sprouting from it, which happened in 1842.

Furthermore, another very famous procession is the one of Otto Santi, in Ruvo di Puglia, near Bari. It starts at the dawn of Holy Thursday, after the Purificazione Addolorata (Sorrowful Purification). Confraternita di San Rocco brings in procession the group of Otto Santi (eight saints), which is a sculptural group in paper-mache representing the carriage of Jesus’ body to the tomb. It is called Otto Santi because the characters of the sculpture are eight.

In Ruvo di Puglia there is another rite that is very characteristic. It is the Quarantane: puppets representing Carnival’s wife are placed on the streets and they explode. It represents the end of Lent and the beginning of the Resurrection period.

Typical Easter food in Apulia

Apulia is a region that is very famous for food, which is why Easter food won’t disappoint you. Every dish tells a story, a tradition, all of which recall the Christian symbolism of Easter.
The protagonist of this period is lamb, as well as eggs and, of course, vegetables.

Appetizer

A traditional Easter lunch in Apulia starts with Benedetto. It is an appetizer made with eggs, ricotta, olives, oranges, and capocollo, a typical salami in Apulia. This dish, before being eaten, must be blessed with holy water and an olive branch: from this ritual comes its name, which means “blessed”.

First course

The first course is generally chosen among a selection of dishes according to the taste of the people who are having lunch. One of the most common first courses is cavatelli al vincotto: the pasta is made with cooked wine, which gives it the red color that recalls Jesus’ blood. There is also focaccia filled with fish, in particular tuna, and orecchiette with nuts.

Lamb

The second course of a traditional Easter lunch in Apulia must include lamb, the protagonist of the celebration. It is cooked in different ways, but the most common ones are grilled or in the oven, usually served with green beans, potatoes, and “lampascioni”, a root that has many good effects on the human body.

The desserts

There is no celebration that does not have a traditional dessert, which is why the Apulian tradition wants that every table has at least one. Kids usually receive chocolate eggs, meanwhile adult people enjoy a good lamb made with “pasta reale”, a dessert made with almond paste. Furthermore, there is also scarcelle, made with short pastry and decorated with real eggs on their surface.

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March 1st, 2021