An article in Il Sole 24 Ore highlights some traditional Easter rituals, games and processions in Italy.  Throughout the country towns and cities practice varying rites.  The most well-known is Florence’s “scoppio del Carro” in which a cart, drawn by oxen, processes through the city.  On the cart is a rocket which is made to explode at the end of the procession.  This commemorates the sparks that supposedly emanated from shards of the Holy Sepulchre.  There are many other traditions that mix religion and folklore.  In many towns there are different varieties of egg races and competitions, in others there are processions that represent various aspects of the Easter story. There are fascinating traditions in towns in every region.