Holy Week Processions in Mendrisio

A tradition for over 400 years

Holy Week Processions in Mendrisio inscribed on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. These processions represent the Passion of Christ and are the bearers of a living tradition which, handed down from generation to generation, is expressed through the creation of lamps and illuminated transparencies: translucent paintings mounted on wooden frames.

If this isn’t enough to make you want to visit, then read on, you won’t regret it!

The processions take place on Holy Thursday and Good Friday through Mendrisio’s narrow streets, which are bathed solely in the soft, atmospheric light of the "Trasparenti", large translucent canvas paintings portraying episodes from the Gospel and Old Testament.

Breath-taking and extraordinarily moving in equal measure.

On the Thursday, watch the Passion of Christ, featuring knights, roman soldiers and biblical characters.
On the Friday, a procession steeped in spirituality with no fewer than six hundred figures in costume.

Enjoy a tradition that’s now over 400 years old. Take home precious, unforgettable memories.

The virtual tour to discover the "Transparenti" along the itinerary of the Mendrisio Holy Week Processions.
Experience walking through the streets of Mendrisio's old town lit up by the large "Trasparenti".