I Misteri di Lapio

The Mysteries of Lapio are a religious event, held every year during the Easter period.

The solemn event consists in the representation of the day of Christ's crucifixion: a tradition that is also present in other towns in Irpinia, such as Frigento, Mirabella Eclano and Vallata and that, in Lapio, has been renewed for over two centuries.

The religious celebrations begin on Maundy Thursday, when, late in the evening, after the ritual of the washing of the feet, the bells are "tied" and two men, playing heartbreaking notes on the trumpet and drum, search for Jesus. The event continues on Good Friday with the exhibition of groups of life-size papier-mâché statues, which are called "Mysteries" and depict the most dramatic and important scenes leading up to the death of Christ: Passion and Via Crucis. Even today, these statues are considered one of the spiritual riches of the town, as well as an important tourist attraction, and have been restored several times, thanks above all to the commitment and dedication of the brothers of the Church of the Madonna della Neve (Our Lady of the Snow).

Among the oldest and most evocative traditions of Lapio, the Mysteries contribute to enhancing the cultural and artistic depth of the religious heritage of the Irpinian village.