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Woman in traditional dress - Photo credit Francesco Barbera
When:
Apr 2009 (annual)
Where:
Church of S.Demetrio
Cost:
Free
Easter Sunday at Piana degli Albanesi (known as Piana dei Greci before 1914) is a touching testimonial to the cultural and ethnic mosaic which can be glimpsed in Sicily, and to the power of cultural identity through the ages.
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The town is an extraordinary ethno-anthropological oasis only 24 kilometres from Palermo. It was founded in 1488, when a group of inhabitants from central Albania settled as refugees, fleeing from marauding Turkish armies. Nowadays, they are to all intents and purposes Sicilians, but they have successfully managed to preserve their religion and language. The dialect of the 6200 villagers is called Arbresh, and can still be understood by modern Albanians, although the languages have developed differently.
Easter is celebrated in the cathedral of San Demetrio, in the Greek Byzantine ritual. The church service starts at around 10.30pm on Easter Sunday, and the wake lasts until around 1am. Local girls clad in beautiful gold embroidered and very heavy traditional dresses (some of which are the very ones that were brought over from Albania) then lead a procession through the town, along with the priests. Finally they sit on small stages to be admired by all, girded with Brezi, gold and silver belts representing the various patron saints.
Easter is celebrated in the cathedral of San Demetrio, in the Greek Byzantine ritual. The church service starts at around 10.30pm on Easter Sunday, and the wake lasts until around 1am. Local girls clad in beautiful gold embroidered and very heavy traditional dresses (some of which are the very ones that were brought over from Albania) then lead a procession through the town, along with the priests. Finally they sit on small stages to be admired by all, girded with Brezi, gold and silver belts representing the various patron saints.
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