Holy Week in Cuglieri

With the rites of Holy Week, the town of Cuglieri recalls the events of the trial and crucifixion of Jesus. All the ceremonies, scattered in the various churches in the center of Montiferru, are accompanied by liturgical songs.

With the rites of Holy Week, organized by five confraternities (cunfrarias), Cuglieri recalls the events of the trial and crucifixion of Jesus.

Organizing the various rites are: the Confraternity of the Convent, the Brotherhood of the Holy Cross, the Brotherhood of Carmel, the Brotherhood of Saint John and the Brotherhood of the Rosary. The latter belongs to the Basilica of Santa Maria della Neve (the parish church of Cuglieri).

On Holy Thursday, the rites begin with the celebration of the Mass in Coena Domini, in memory of the Last Supper, followed by the procession of Sas Chilcas, or the search for Jesus through the streets of the town and in the churches where the Sepulchres were set up.

On the morning of Good Friday, the function of S'Ingravamentu is celebrated, that is, the rite of the crucifixion. In the Church of the Virgin of Graces, the niche is opened where the litter box and an articulated Christ are kept, which is posted to a cross, called Sa Rughe Maistra, by the priors of Our Lady of Sorrows. Transported to the chapel of the Holy Crucifix, Sa Rughe Maistra is hoisted on the penitential cross (sa Contrarughe). A man dressed in the clothes of the Archconfraternity of Our Lady of Sorrows, who has taken a vow to carry the cross, with the penitential cross on his shoulder begins his journey followed by the other penitents. Followed by the women who had family grief over the course of the year, carrying an oil lamp that is placed in a pit in front of the Basilica before the cross is lifted.

In the evening, the function of S'Isgravamentu (the removal of Jesus from the cross) is celebrated, followed by the procession back to the Convent church.

On Holy Saturday, the rite of Sas Chilcas is repeated. In the evening, however, the ceremonial of the Easter Vigil and the Resurrection Mass take place.

Cuglieri's peculiarity is the blessing on Easter day of bouquets of violets and orange blossoms, prepared the day before and carried in procession together with the crucifix.

On Easter Sunday, Cuglieri also participates in the joy of the Resurrection of Christ with the encounter between the simulacra of the Risen Jesus and his Mother.

History of the event

But the most suggestive element of the Holy Week rites in Cuglieri is offered by Su Cuncordu, the beautiful four-voice male choir that accompanies the entire unfolding of the sacred drama. It combines the Sardinian tradition of tenor singing and the brotherhoods of Holy Week with late-medieval European liturgical music.

When singing the Miserere and the Stabat Mater, the choir is arranged to form a semicircle: on bass in the center, on contraltu on the left, on tenor, which leads the melody, on the right. On the tenor falzu it is a little further on and is added intermittently.

Update

24/3/2024 - 20:09