Contents
Up to 700 amateur actors reenact the suffering and crucifixion of Jesus Christ – a 400-year-old tradition.
A special spectacle takes place on Maundy Thursday and Good Friday in Mendrisio, a small town in Ticino. Up to 700 amateur actors play the Passion and Crucifixion of Jesus Christ according to the Old Testament in the Easter procession.
The ritual has been included in the Unesco Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage and attracts tens of thousands of spectators every year. Probably also thanks to this success, the Easter organization has no problem with young people.
Legend:
The Mendrisio Easter Procession has been included in the Representative List of Unesco Intangible Cultural Heritage.
SRF
For many performers, the religious significance of the procession is not the main focus. The traditional ritual commemorates the last supper of Jesus and his disciples and the crucifixion.
It is the shared experience in a special atmosphere that he likes, says 24-year-old student Benjamin Rajendram, who has been taking part in the procession for eight years.
Legend:
Benjamin Rajendram, transformed here into a Roman soldier, enjoys the shared experience and the special atmosphere.
SRF
The elaborately staged Easter procession in Mendrisio lives from the history and the special atmosphere. The narrow streets of Mendrisio’s old town are illuminated by the dim light of the so-called “Trasparenti”.
They are painted canvases that are stretched across the streets along the processional route on wooden frames. Scenes from the Gospel or from the Old Testament are depicted on the illuminated pictures.
Legend:
A so-called “Trasparenti” lights up discreetly in the old town of Mendrisio.
SRF
The oldest illuminated images date from the 18th century. Some are over a hundred years old and are still in use today, along with more recent works.
For several years attempts have been made to reproduce the canvas drawings soaked in wax. A delicate job, because only a few pigments are suitable for achieving transparency.
Roles for young and old
The majority of the participants come from Mendrisio itself. Even the children take part in the procession and grow from the role of childish lackeys who accompany the riders to other roles for adults.
The Roman soldiers, Hebrews and other biblical figures wear lavish costumes. They are copies of the costumes that were made in the tailoring of the Milan theater “La Scala” for the Easter procession in Mendrisio.
Jesus only for Mendrisio
The people of Mendrisio cultivate this tradition with great commitment. There hasn’t been a year in which there has been a lack of actors, says Nadia Fontana Lupi from the regional tourism organization.
Nevertheless, the organizers have recently been allowing interested parties to apply to play a role via a website. Only the roles of Jesus and the bearer of the cross are reserved for the inhabitants of Mendrisio.