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 religious brotherhoods were celebrated, another great silk tradition.
The popular sentiment of a devout community grew greatly, until the turning point in the 1930s. At the time, the lawyer Gigli decided to expand the “Via crucis”, which became a theatrical representation, with emotion and pathos. The ever-growing success of the “Passione di Sezze”, also sprang from the collaboration as director of Marcello Covoni of the Teatro dell’Opera in Rome.
Via Crucis of Sezze
Every detail was carefully taken care of, from costumes, to acting, to ornaments, to the point that, “the representative work” of the community, attracted more and more; not only faithful and devout, but also the way of culture and art. It is enough to consider that in 1935, on the messenger, art critics applauded the work of the silk; with such emphasis and emphasis that the lines were translated and transmitted via radio in the U.S.A.
Many representatives of 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 “Passione di Sezze” by children, young people, the elderly, without distinction.
Everybody tried to make a contribution and they didn’t skimp on the collaboration. From that initial spark, many other similar representations have sprung up in other Lazio countries, but the “mother of all the living Passions is in Sezze”!
1950 Jubilee
The “Passione di Sezze” therefore achieved great public success and such notoriety in a few decades, to attract the attention of the Church of Rome. Thus it was that in 1950 the amateur silk actors went to Rome to represent the Via crucis in Via Fori Imperiali, reaching the Colosseum; putting a seal on that year’s jubilee.
The charm 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 provoking enthusiastic applause and praise from the authorities of the time. The press talked a lot about the “Passione di Sezze, and compliments came from the president of the council of ministers Alcide De Gasperi. In 1957 the representation of the Via crucis of Sezze, from the Colosseum, also landed in the setine Amphitheater, which hosted a re-enactment of the Passion replicated in September. The success of the work of the silk has often recalled the representation outside the boundaries of Sezze.
the Passion of Sezze
In 2010, for the first time the Passion of Sezze went abroad, again for a jubilee, to Santiago de Compostela; where on March 13, one hundred and fifty amateurs paraded in front of the Cathedral. While the fifteenth of April 2011, the Holy Representation of Sezze went to Assisi, parading in front of the Porziuncola.
Another transfer, even if brief, took place in 2012 in Latina, to open the celebrations for the 80th anniversary of the city. That day, a large crowd remained silent before the 600 participants of Sezze in Piazza del Popolo; witnessing the Sacred Representation in silence, and finally applauding the thirty-six religious paintings.
Also in 2012, in addition to the approximately 700 local actors and young actors of the Silvio D’Amico Academy of Dramatic Art, and of the “Menandro” Theater Academy, the actors of the Compagnia Teatro della Luce and of the Shadow.
Via crucis between adults and children
However, it is in the alleys of Sezze, natural scenery, that the procession knows its 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 church of San Lorenzo.
In Sezze it is important that the representation is popular, and that the hundreds of extras, 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 silk can still transmit.
Association: Largo B. Buozzi, 8, 04018 Sezze LT tel 0773 803002
