
RESTORING THE SACRED
Holy Week In Corsica The Mediterranean island of Corsica is a culturally unique place with a largely French modern history but with a considerable Italian past. Its Holy Week customs are deeply rooted in the Italian phase of its history, yet they have taken on a distinctly Corsican character all its own. The fashioning of palm branches into a variety of artistic creations is a prevalent custom for Palm Sunday across Corsica. The finest examples, the pullezulle, are made by braiding the palms to construct depictions of religious symbols ranging from the cross and the fish to hearts and roses. The most elaborate pullezulle take the form of miniature churches. In the past, it was customary to make a special pullezulle for use on Good Friday as an adornment for the top of processional crosses, with the work of making this decoration beginning on Monday of Holy Week. On Wednesday of Holy Week, the erection in the churches of extraordinary Passion-themed shrines begins, enclosures traditionally

