A mystery is what man kind is not able to explain. In medieval time, when it was normal routine to perform religious episodes from the Old and the New Testament, the word “mystery” was used to impress more mysticism to the event. This necessity of mysticism is the base for the secular but always actual “Mysteries Procession” of Trapani.
Since the XV century in Spain the so called “teatro de los misterios” performs these procession scenes to the catholic faithful.
During the Iberian domination (from 1412 to 1713) these traditions of strong popular impact established themselves also in Sicily. A verified historical fact is that until the 1594 in Trapani there was no sign of ceremony on Good Friday apart for the no more in use Maries Procession, this was the religious rite most similar to the Mysteries Procession.

"Vara" decoration "Manta" "Ciaccula" "Balloncino" bearer Beret detail Massari ready to lift up Volunteers Massari under the staff Massari in position Decorating the Group Silver balcony Band Floral decoration "Incappucciati"

To discover the origins of the Sacred Groups that still parade around the city streets in what is called “falcata” (stride), we must look to some details about the story of two of the many brotherhoods existing in that period in Trapani: these are the brotherhood of Saint Michael and the Precious Blood of Jesus Christ brotherhood.
The latter at the beginning of XV century asked to the clever sculptors of Trapani the construction of the first Sacred Group. In the meanwhile, Saint Michael friars, whom were in Trapani since 1366, were obliged, for decision of the Senate, to abandon Saint Michael church and leave the place to the newcomers Jesuit Fathers.
Saint Michael friars were welcomed at the Saint Spirit Church, being the “Reds” Precious Blood of Jesus Christ friars residence. The collaboration between the two brotherhoods is certain since the 1592 and didn’t last for a few decades. In 1622 Saint Michael friars came back to their previous residence and on 26^th February 1646 the notary Antonio Valentino sanctioned the official fusion of the two brotherhoods into the Saint Michael the Archangel brotherhood. During that period the Sacred Groups were born. The act of entrustment for the first Sacred Group, the so called “Ordeal Ascent”, dates back to 1612, this date confirms the hypothesis of a common idea about the Mysteries between the two brotherhoods already before their fusion and represent also a turning point in the history of this procession.
Exactly with this act of entrustment, in 1612, the brotherhood entrusted the corporations with the care of the several Groups, the corporations had also to cover all the onerous expenses for the Good Friday Procession preparation.
The Corporations were born in XII century as spontaneous societies and evolved during the years. Anyway it is the bishop responsibility to authorize in first person every choice of these laic brotherhoods.
Due to the many expenses for the Groups administration, the Corporations became soon real professional organizations with economic purposes. This was the most effective remedy to contrast, during the following years, the supplying of raw materials and support the competition among the corporations.
The 1974 is the official birth year for the Corporations Union, the association which assemble the most important economic activities of the city. In 1998 the Corporations Union set up its own internal statute to regulate its activities and offices. The president, the vice president, the treasurer, the secretary and two councillors constitute the board of directors. The assembly consist of one chief consul for each of the 20 Groups and “Maries” and the honorary members.
Since early four centuries the “Mysteries Procession of Trapani”, on Good Friday, continues to excite all the population offering again centenarian traditions which derive from Mediterranean history and in particular the Spanish one.
The Passion and Death of Christ have been artistically represented in twenty sculptural depictions. Obviously for reason of “weight”, this statues have been realized with a special technique. Above a wood skeleton the masters of that time managed to set up all the anatomic characteristics (head, bust, hands, and feet) using exclusively cloth and glue.
The statues are internally empty with the exception of some cork skeletons. The external part, to guarantee to the spectator the most intensive expressive emotion and a most natural plasticity, has been realized with a exclusive technique from Trapani, the so called “carchèt”, making also use of clothes and costumes of that age.
It is the comprehensive view that make every group representation unique. Every statue is indeed arranged on a wood base called “VARA”. The eighteen statue Groups together with the “Jesus in the urn” simulacrum and “Our Lady of Sorrows” simulacrum (which closes the procession) represent the various stage of the Stations of The Cross. According to the Gospel all the characters escorting Christ during the Stations of The Cross are depicted in the Groups statues.
The art of Trapani’s Master Artisans is not limited to the workmanship of the statues and characters but is also extended to the valuable intaglios that make precious some “VARE”: reproductions of putti, Trapani views and also symbols of the various corporations.
Every “vara” is now hanging off man height on proper wood trestles, in substitution of the past ages wood forks. The new method is a safer, preventing falls during the procession. Every “vara” is now carried on shoulder together with trestles but in past days when a stop was needed it was required to replace the forks and remove them again after the stop.
To get around the anaesthetic sense problem of trestles, from 1950 all the wooden support structure is covered by a sumptuous bleak mantle called “MANTA”. The mantle departs from the “vara” frame to the ground hiding everything is under it. The “manta” is also used to identify the belonging order of the Group since on the bleak texture is imprinted the name of the “trade – order” who supplied the decoration and taken care of the statue.

It is 400 years that the statue groups are always the same while their flower decoration changes every year. The statue are embellished with old handmade silvers of wonderful manufacture.
The artisans of Trapani have been able to immortalize on the old statues appearance a lights and shadows game. This is carefully studied to make more real the pain and suffering attitudes.
To prepare every single group is not a simple work. As it can be imagined, what is necessary to protect every year is the respect of the secular traditions which characterize the Mystery Procession of Trapani.
Dignitaries of this old knowledge are the “CONSOLI” (consuls), that are the voluntaries who, with passion and abnegation, take all the responsibilities related to decoration and direction of every single Mystery.
The “Consoli” elect the “Capoconsole” (chief consul) which is surely one of the most desired offices in all the organizations.
As we mentioned before, the Mysteries Procession, which go on for nearly twenty four hours, is entirely shouldered through the streets of Trapani. Every statue Group is raised and conducted by not less than ten men called “MASSARI”.
The “MASSARI” are organized in teams, one team for every Mystery, they move synchronously following the instructions made by the “CAPORALE”, who is the massaro with the most desired assignment. He hold in his hands “CIACCULA”, this object is made of two pieces of wood fixed by strings together with another central piece that has a handle. The “CIACCULA” shacked by the “CAPORALE” produces a characteristic sound similar to the “troccole” or to the Spanish “castanuelas”.
The caporal’s orders are fairly simple, for this reason it is important for the massari to observe them in perfect synchrony. The weight of every Mystery must be equally distributed on shoulder of all the bearers from the very first moment it is lifted (this is called the AISATA). In this important moment, the caporal go near the bar which has to be lifted and he hits the ciaccula on the wood to attract the massari attention. After this, on the vocal request “A POSTO” (get ready/in place), the bearers go under the four transporting bars and under the so called “BALLONCINO”, the hemp crossbar which joins together in pair the bars.
With tense muscles, ready for the effort, the massari wait the first ciaccula’ stroke which inform them about the imminent “aisata”. At the second stroke with a single movement the Mystery is lifted on shoulder ready to start again the procession.
At this point, the magic of that secular procession lights on: every single statue, every group, every Mystery, carried on the massari’s shoulders, seams to come to life thanks to the “ANNACATA”. This dialectal word denote the particular “swinging” gait that the bearers are able to give to their procession, following, like dancing, the slow rhythms imposed by the dead marches played by musical bands which accompany the "vara".
The audience who watch from a distant point, in this way, must be well surprised in looking to this statues that move following the music above the people heads carpet crossed by the Procession. The “ANNACATA”, some times, to recover possible delay among groups, is replaced by the “ARRANCATA”, a fast acceleration characterized by short steps made with the feet creeping on the ground.
The music imposes the rhythm to the Mysteries procession of Trapani. With the music sound takes place the so called “BATTUTA”, that is the period during which every Mystery is swung at funeral march rhythm.
During a “battuta”, or even during a stop, the statue Group can be turned in front of a special spectator (the so called “VUTATA” o “ATTUNNIATA”) who thanks the gesture with a generous donation called “PICACCIA”.
During the years, the costumes worn by the people involved in the procession and the massari uniforms have been changed many times. In origin, the massari worn the so called “CASACCHE”: long overalls, blue or grey, and a beret. Today it is not rare to see bearers in elegant uniform.
“FIGURANTI” complete the choreography of every Group, these are people of devotion who dress costumes and carry large candle and other objects, following the vara. One of the most recent changes concerning the “FIGURANTI” is dated back to some years ago, when the bishop suppressed from the procession the so called “INCAPPUCCIATI” (people hiding their faces under a hood).
For what concerns the musical accompaniment, which is integral part in this procession, in old time small groups composed by five or six choristers were used to accompany every groups. Around 1800 they have been gradually replaced by bands. The classic repertoire performed by the various bands is well-known by people from Trapani as “a musica ri Misteri” (mystery’s music), among the many scores we can notice real auteur pieces. : “A.VELLA”; “POVERO FIORE”; “'A CATANISA”; “MARCIA FUNEBRE DI CHOPIN”; “JONE”; “'A LOMBARDO”; “FATALITA'” are examples of the many slow and deep marches that passionate people can recognize from the first note. With the sound of these low melodies two of the most touching moments of the whole procession: “NISCIUTA”, the leaving and “TRASUTA” the entrance take place. These are the two greeting moments from the Holy Groups to the faithful: the first occurs when a group comes out from the church where it rested for a whole year. The second moment is at the procession end, more or less 24 hours after the leaving, when the group returns into the same church where it will be preserved until the next Good Friday.
The procession preparation is also really suggestive, it is characterized by the so called “SCINNUTE”, a rite dated back to 1600. During the six Lent Fridays each of the twenty Sacred Groups, accompanied by music, is taken down from the niche it was resting all the year. Then it is lead to the altar where the Mass will be celebrated.
Before and after the church ceremony, outside the church, bands will play the typical Mystery’s march.
The real preparation takes place in the Ash Thursday night, when the “VESTIZIONE” rite is celebrated. The “consoli” spend all the night in dressing the statues, making precious the old cloth and glue works with lots of decorations: chains, bracelets, aureoles, crowns and jewels which are also authentic artistic work by the old silversmith school of Trapani.
At the same time the florist masters set up their valuable floral compositions to adorn each “vara” with fresh and fragrant flowers. Also the floral compositions, as all the other aspects of the procession, have been influenced by uses and costumes changes. In old editions they were few and only seasonal, but after a while they took a determinant importance. During the years we pass from the typical passion colours red and violet to elaborated compositions that often were used to cover damages on the Sacred Groups.
After recent restorations they came back to the old gentle floral touch that makes precious the beauty and expressivity of the Sacred Group rather than hide them.
The “VESTIZIONE” remains an art to be handed on from father to son, generation after generation. It comprises many little secrets that came back to life during a single night to give magnificence to these beautiful simple statues made by clothes and glue. This is a rite that is consumed during one night inside the church from which the Sacred Groups will get out and depart for the procession: it is a real “waking” for faithful and fans that in the next hours will assist and participate in first person to the Mysteries Procession.