Holy Week CandlesHoly Week Candles
©Holy Week Candles|OTI SVT - @B-Giacomoni
Original traditionsThe heritage of the Corsican soul

Original traditions

Corsica invites you to discover its polyphonies, ancestral beliefs, customs and living traditions that have shaped its identity since time immemorial. This small Mediterranean island retains an immense wealth of culture!
The island’s history, celebrated through music and song, continues to resonate throughout the island thanks to a multitude of groups that perpetuate the tradition of Corsican polyphony and song.

At the same time, older skills are experiencing a revival, particularly in agriculture, where younger generations are reintroducing practices that respect the land.

Traditions

Traditional festivals also punctuate the island’s calendar: in Olmeto, Pentecost is celebrated with fervour, while in Propriano, Saint Erasmus, the patron saint of sailors, brings the locals together for a great festival at sea, where flowers are thrown into the water from boats. As for Sartène’s Catenacciu, it’s the island’s must-see religious event.

In the Sartenais Valinco Taravo region, all the villages keep these patron saint festivals going! Corsica, proud of its intangible heritage, shines through and asserts its identity. Thanks to its customs and religious traditions, it even recently won over the Pope, who honoured the locals with his visit to Ajaccio in December 2024.

Our favourites

U Catinacciu di Sartè

A procession steeped in history and emotion

The exact origin of the U Catenacciu procession remains unknown, but this age-old tradition has stood the test of time, bearing witness to the region’s religious fervour. Every Good Friday, in the dead of night, Sartène relives Christ’s ascent to Calvary through a poignant Way of the Cross in the narrow streets of the old town.

The anonymous penitent, dressed in an alb and red bonnet, carries a 33kg solid wooden cross and drags a heavy chain attached to his ankle. At his side, another penitent dressed in white, representing Simon of Cyrene, helps him carry his burden. They are followed by eight black-clad penitents carrying Christ, flanked by the local brotherhood. All walk barefoot, in solemn silence.

Agropastoral tradition

From mountain tops to Mediterranean shores, the agro-pastoral traditions of the Sartenais Valinco tell the story of an island proud of its roots. Artisanal fishing, livestock farming, cheeses, oils, wines… an island know-how passed on with passion, to the rhythm of nature.
Dive into the secrets of a living heritage

Would you like to discover other themes?

Here are a few suggestions!