The Passion of Sezze, is among the representations of the "Passion of Christ", the most representative, and the most emblematic in our country. It has its origins in the Middle Ages, when it was celebrated by religious brotherhoods, another great Setina tradition.
The popular sentiment of a devoted community, grew a lot, until the turning point in the thirties. At the time, the lawyer Lilies thought to expand of emotionality and pathos the "Via crucis", which became a theatrical performance. The ever growing success of the "Passione di Sezze", also arose from the collaboration as director of Marcello Covoni of Rome Opera House.
Via Crucis of Sezze
Every detail was carefully taken care of, from the costumes, to the acting, to the ornaments, to the point that the "representative work" of the community attracted more and more; not only faithful and devotees, but also the way of culture and art. Suffice it to consider that in 1935, on the messenger, art critics applauded to the work of the setini; with such emphasis and prominence that the lines were translated and broadcast by radio in the USA
Lots of representatives from the world of culture and art approached the Sezze event and from year to year the crowd became more and more crowded. What struck public opinion was the popular participation in the "Passion of Sezze" by children, young people, the elderly, without distinction.
Everyone did their best to make a contribution and did not skimp on collaboration. From that initial spark, many other similar representations have sprung up in other towns of Lazio, but the “mother of all living passions is in Sezze”!
Jubilee of 1950
The "Passion of Sezze" therefore in a few decades it achieved great success with the public and such notoriety, as to attract the attention of the Church of Rome. Thus it was that in 1950 the amateur actors setini went to Roma to represent the Via Crucis in Via Fori Imperiali, arriving at the Colosseum; putting a seal on the jubilee of that year.
The suggestion and enchantment of the torches in the heart of the city remained memorable, and the emotion among the Romans was really great; to the point of arousing enthusiastic applause and praise from the authorities of the time. The press talked a lot about the “Passion of Sezze, and the compliments of the president of the council of ministers arrived Alcide De Gasperi. In 1957 the representation of the Via crucis of Sezze, from the Colosseum, also landed in the Setino Amphitheater, which hosted a re-enactment of the Passion repeated in September. The success of the setini's work has often recalled the representation outside the borders of Sezze.
the Passion of Sezze
In 2010, for the first time the Sezze Passion went abroad, again for a jubilee, a Santiago de Compostela; where on March 13, one hundred and fifty amateurs paraded in front of the Cathedral. While on the fifteenth of April 2011, the Sacred Representation from Sezze went to Assisi, parading in front of the Porziuncola.
Another trip, albeit short, took place in 2012 a Latina, to open the celebrations for the 80th anniversary of the city. That day, a large crowd fell silent in front of the 600 appearing in Sezze in Piazza del Popolo; attending the Sacred Representation in silence, and finally applauding the thirty-six religious paintings with emotion.
Also in 2012, in addition to the approximately 700 local actors and young actors of theSilvio D'Amico Academy of Dramatic Art, and "Menandro" Theater Academy, the actors participated in the Sacred Representation of the Company Theater of Light and Shadow.
Via crucis between adults and children
However, it is in the alleys of Sezze, natural scenography, that the procession know his most touching moments. In the historic center of the town it is possible to visit, in addition to the birthplace of San Carlo; the Cathedral of Santa Maria, and the small church of San Lorenzo.
In Sezze it is important that the performance is popular, and that the hundreds of figures, young and old, are people of the people. Sometimes there have been professionals, but with a low profile, never extremely famous actors, since the attention must fall on the religious event and on the pathos that the Setinians still know how to convey. Association: Largo B. Buozzi, 8, 04018 Sezze LT tel 0773 803002
