Every easter this sleepy town in Sicily erupts with life as it holds is annual easter parade known as The Misteri Di Trapani which is one of the oldest religious events in Europe originally starting in 1612 the parade takes place on Good Friday in Trapani and lasts for up to 24 continuous hours.
The festival starts promptly at 2.00pm from the Church of Purgatory in the town centre when the church doors open and with a blow of the ‘ciaccola’ the order is given for the first float to be lifted with e second blow the order to move forward.

18 sculptured floats originally made in the 17th and 18th centuries by local artisans in Trapani representing the characters and scenes from the passion and death of Jesus Christ. It takes over 5 hours at a slow pace for all the floats to exit the church.
For 24 hours, without interruption each float is followed by a band playing a funeral march as they meander slowly through the the city. Its an epic sight witnessing this for the first time as crowds both line the streets and follow behind each float in support as they make their way back to the Purgatory Church.

Ive been personally coving this event for the past 9 years and now know most of the characters and have built up a great library of pictures covering the event from many different places and angles along the route showing the raw emotion of the event with each float taking up to 20 men to lift such is the weight.

















































Why not join me in Sicily for this photographic adventure