Easter Food Specialties & Church Services for English-Speakers

 

Residents of Florence who hail from the U.S., Canada, Australia and the U.K. can incorporate their Easter home traditions during festivities in the city of the Renaissance, whether culinary or church services in English.

TREATS

Foreigners know that in Italy brown eggs are sold almost exclusively.  To buy white eggs to dye for the Easter basket, head to Vignoli, piazza San Piero Maggiore 1 (hours: 8 am – 1 pm, 4:30 – 7:30 pm), a butcher’s shop that has a special supply on hand for the holidays.

For tasty chocolate Easter eggs, there are two choices.  For one of the best views in Florence as well as for exquisite Easter treats, head to the gift shop of the San Miniato al Monte church above Piazzale Michelangelo.  There the visitor will find dark, milk and white chocolate eggs handmade and beautifully decorated by Father Ildebrando.  Expat Janice of Kakes by Janice also makes exquisite and delicious chocolate Easter eggs; contact details on her Facebook page. 

Jackie Pollis has DYI Easter cookie kits available for decorating or painting cookies with everything needed, including un-iced sugar cookies.  Another option is to buy the cookies in the shape of rabbits, chicks, flowers, Easter eggs and stained glass crosses already decorated and ready to serve.  Complete info can be found on her Facebook page.

The cancer home care non-profit, ANT onlus, is offering people the chance to donate a chocolate Easter egg either to children hosted by the Istituto degli Innocenti, Fondazione ANT Italia onlus, the adolescents of Villa Lorenzi or the elderly of the Montedomini retirement home. For the traditional Italian dove-shaped Easter cake, la colomba, browse a selection handmade by artisanal bakeries at Migone, the sweets shop located on via Calzaiuoli 85/r since 1916.

The newly inaugurated Formaggioteca Terroir shop on via dei Renai run by expat residents offers gift boxes of fine French and Italian cheeses — see www.formaggiotecaterroir.it.

CHURCH SERVICES IN ENGLISH

All faiths are welcome.

April 1: Holy/Maundy Thursday

Washing of Feet and Stripping of Altar. St. James Episcopal Church, via Rucellai 9. 6 pm.  Accessible through the St. James YouTube channel.

Mass in English. Santi Apostoli, Piazza Limbo 1.  6 pm.  Open to the public.

Maundy Thursday Sung High Mass of the Last Supper. St. Mark’s Anglican Church, via Maggio 16. 7 pm.  Open to the public.

April 2: Good Friday

Devotional Service.  St. Mark’s Anglican Church, via Maggio 16.  10:30 am.  Streamed on the St. Mark’s YouTube channel.

Adoration of the Holy Cross. St. James Episcopal Church, via Rucellai  9. Noon.  Accessible through the St. James YouTube channel.

Mass in English. Santi Apostoli, Piazza Limbo 1. 6 pm.  Open to the public.

Via Crucis (Stations of the Cross).  St. Mark’s Anglican Church, via Maggio 16. 8 pm.  Open to the public.

Sat. 20: Easter Vigil

Service of Light and Hymns.  St. Mark’s Anglican Church, via Maggio 16.  6:30 pm.  Streamed on the St. Mark’s YouTube channel.

Mass in English and Italian. Santi Apostoli, Piazza Limbo 1.  7:30 pm.  Open to the public.

Sun. 4: Easter Sunday

Easter service, St. James Episcopal Church, via Rucellai 9. 11 am.  Register here to attend in person.

Mass in English. Santi Apostoli, Piazza Limbo 1. 10:30 am.  Open to the public.

Easter Day Sung High Mass of the Resurrection.  St. Mark’s Anglican Church, via Maggio 16. 10:30 am.  Open to the public.