The Holy Week in Sardinia is a moment of great devotion. And it is also a moment enriched by some ancient traditions. Traditions that are, still today, a kind of small priceless treasure. To be discovered.
- Is Nenniris. This ancient tradition takes place during the Ash Wednesday. In the churches of Sardinia, the so-called Is Nenniris are exposed: they are plates full of cotton. In these plates, on Ash Wednesday, grains or legumes are placed. Then, the grains grow in the dark. Is seems that Is Nenniris is a sort of ritual to celebrate the death and rebirth of vegetation.
- Is Allichirongius de Pasca. In ancient times, different rites of purification took place. Even today, a very peculiar “trace” of these ancient rites remains: during the days before Easter, people of Sardinia cleans the house.
- Is Ascurtus. This is another very special and ancient tradition. It seems that, during the Holy Week, the Sardinian people used to, periodically, walk on the hill of the Buon Cammino (in the centre of Cagliari, near Molentargius-Saline park and Poetto beach). While walking, people listened to the phrases by other pedestrians, united them and tried to make sense of them. From this “assembly of phrases”, people tried to obtain predictions and auspicies for the future.
- Hair. During Holy Week, women didn’t sew because they believed that pull a thread of wool was like pulling a hair of Christ. Similarly, it was not recommended to wash the hair.
These four traditions make the Holy Week in Sardinia even more special. And there are still several other traditions that enrich the Easter in this beautiful island.
Info: Cagliariturismo.it
Image source: Flickr.com/photos/14506152@N03
