The custom dates back at least to the mid-18th century, as testified by the will of Melchiorre Gulizia from 1755, who left a sum of money for the creation of the statue of the Redeemer needed for “lu ‘Ncuentru” (the Encounter) on Easter Sunday. This celebration, therefore, is not a recent event but a well-established rite deeply rooted in the identity of its inhabitants.
The entire cycle of representations is organized by the Holy Week Association, supported not by professional actors but by the people of Delia themselves, who passionately and devoutly play the various roles.
The association’s financial support comes from a traditional door-to-door collection, contributions from the Municipality, and, significantly, donations from emigrants who maintain a strong emotional bond with their hometown’s festival.
The rituals begin on Palm Sunday afternoon with the procession of palms, followed in the evening by the “Prologue” and scenes such as “Jesus’ entrance into Jerusalem,” “Offendo il ciel,” and “Spartenza.”
The performances continue on Holy Thursday with “The Last Supper,” “The Agony in the Garden,” and “The Arrest.” Good Friday is dedicated to the drama of the Passion, with performances in the afternoon featuring “The Flagellation” and the evocative “Falls” of Jesus under the weight of the Cross.
The representation begins in Piazza Sant’Antonio, where Christ is taken by the soldiers, wearing the crown of thorns and carrying the cross, and proceeds along the main street.
During Jesus’ journey to Calvary, a costumed procession with horses, chariots, priests, centurions, and soldiers accompanies Him. The “Falls” are performed live, with the cross striking Christ’s body realistically. The procession continues to Via Marconi and Piazza Cesare Battisti, where He meets Simon of Cyrene, who helps Him carry the heavy wood.
The last part of the route culminates in the climb of Via Calvario to Piazza Croce. Here, in an atmosphere of deep emotion, takes place the “Scinnenza”- the dramatization of the Crucifixion and Deposition of Christ from the Cross.
Late at night, in the darkness, begins the nocturnal procession of the Urn, a fine wooden work crafted by local artisans, containing the statue of the dead Christ, which is brought back to the Mother Church. This procession, accompanied by the presence of Our Lady of Sorrows and St. John, crosses the town center to the sound of funeral marches and the chants of the “lamentatori.”
In the past, the procession was marked by the slow and evocative “step of the urn,” consisting of two steps forward and one backward, extending the duration until late into the night. Since the urn is kept in the Mother Church, on the morning of Good Friday a procession carries it to the Church of the Cross in preparation for the Scinnenza.
Throughout the night procession, the voices of the lamentatori rhythmically punctuate the route, narrating through polyphonic chants the Passion, death of Christ, and Mary’s desperate sorrow in searching for her Son after His arrest.
The joyous moment of faith’s exaltation is “lu ‘Ncuentru” on Easter Sunday morning in Piazza Matrice. The Virgin, carried by her all-female committee, departs from Via Capitano Lo Porto, while the Redeemer, carried by his all-male committee, comes from Via Cavour. The two statues meet joyfully three times before the churchyard of the Mother Church. After kissing His mother, Christ “disappears” twice, running back up Via Cavour.
In the afternoon, the event is repeated along Via Petilia, parallel to Via Cavour, once lined with the homes of local bourgeois families. This climactic moment of Delia’s Easter is accompanied by the music of the Petiliana band, which repeats the same tune in a suggestive loop, with a crescendo in volume and tempo near the “kiss,” followed by a diminuendo as they part.
The sound of the tammurinara (drummers) and the colors of the flag bearers from the Petilian Folklore Association immerse the event in a profoundly emotional atmosphere that reunites the entire community in the shadow of that kiss.