The anthropologist Ernesto De Martino, at the beginning of the 1900's, judged rites and traditions to be indicative of ignorance, poverty and hardship, evidence of despair and a symptom of a struggle between the lower classes and the Church. Nowadays the preservation and revival of popular devotions and traditions contributes to keeping alive the identity of entire communities; an instinctive reaction to the process of cultural globalization, which tends to override customs and traditions and to standardize people's identities. The involvement and participation of the new generation becomes vital to the existence of people's identity, which is increasingly at risk. Each person involved becomes the custodian of memories for the upcoming generations. During the Holy Week celebration in Sicily, I focused my attention on the strong connection between the old and the new generation, both involved in preserving a memory that has existed for hundreds of years.
