Special Easter traditions in our area.

Situated at the northeast border of Campania with the region Puglia, Greci, is the town of the province of Avellino, which jealously guards, many centuries, its language and its culture. Its geographical position in the inland area of Southern Italy, has helped to keep the oldest part of the Albanian language, compared to communities arbëreshe widespread in Calabria, Basilicata, Molise, Puglia and Sicily. The community of Greci it is the only town in the province of Avellino, and the whole Campania region, where arbëreshe is spoken, the language brought by Albanians in the fifteenth century theyrepopulated many lands of Southern Italy. The town, of the Catholic faith, had kept the greek-orthodox rite on liturgy, which was obstructed and was replaced at the end of the seventeenth century, with the Latin rite. The religious feast in Greci remain, however, some sections of the ancient rite in the period of Easter. Good Friday community grecese still retains an 'ancient liturgical tradition. It is sung on the evening of Good Friday in an old church song arbëreshe, the "Kalimera", which commemorates the Passion of Christ. The song consists of over three hundred verses, sung at a rate of threnody (funeral song in Ancient Greece) by women in the country arbëreshe language. "Kalimera Krishtit Baku (Kalimera Benedict Christ) begins with a heartfelt cry" Hasten people hurry / hurry than they are / all that Christ did for us / you now you know (Erdhni erdhni gjnjat / Erdhni sa më jinni / E na sa Krishti trees / Ju dwarfs ket to nationals). It continues with an invitation to accept Jesus of the humble part of the faithful: Oi you blessed Jesus / accept this passion / that we will sing / with all devotion (or you Krishti baku / grade Kete passiun / s na ket këndomi / but gjthë devuciun). The village women, during Holy Week, are used to prepare some sweets at home: the bagels, pizza with ricotta, "Panarin" for boys and "Nusan" for girls. Once these cakes were baked in public ovens of the town. "Panari" and "Nussia (respectively mean basket and doll) are made of shortbread decorated with hundreds and thousands, which have the characteristic shape of the basket to the heart and the doll, as Easter gifts to children, the" Basket "and to the girls “ Doll”.