Passion Day: a project review of translation and performance in Sicily

This project presentation is based on the translation resources I developed as part of the University of Glasgow’s Impact Development and Evaluation Fund around Passion Day. Passion Day in Naro (Agrigento, Sicily) is an all-day event which re-enacts the Sacred Representations (now UNESCO-protected) — from Christ’s condemnation to death to his resurrection. The event is hosted at the former monastery of St Agustine’s church which is transformed into a large open-air theatre. A number of local theatre companies from all around Sicily are invited to participate in the event. In 2025 14 companies (over 400 actors) took part. Each company performs a scene from the Passion of Christ (14 scenes in total). The script is adapted from Adam’s Ransom (1750), also known as The Martyrdom of Jesus Christ, which was written by the Sicilian playwright, Orioles Philip.