Il "Santu Lazzaru". Persistenze e trasformazioni di una tradizione nel Basso Salento

Abstract

Santu Lazzaru is the name of a begging rite in the Basso Salento, in Southern Apulia. This tradition is typical of Lent period and consist to the request of eggs and other food by the performance of a typical song. This article describes this tradition and parallels it with other Lazarus Saturday practices in the Greek Orthodox area, revealing the Byzantine origin of this practice, and it frames the tradition in the more general context of begging rites.