Every year, as Carnevale winds down, Lent quietly takes its place.
For many people in Italy, it’s a season associated with reflection, preparation for Easter, and traditions that have shaped Italian life and culture for centuries.
This word search brings together some of the Italian words and ideas connected with la Quaresima, from prayer and fasting to forgiveness, sacrifice and renewal. Whether these customs are familiar to you or completely new, it’s a chance to explore an important part of Italian language and culture.
The words in the puzzle are already in Italian. Simply find them hidden in the grid, then check the table further down the page if you’d like to see what they mean in English.
Divertiti! 😊
Some of the words in this puzzle bring back very vivid childhood memories for me, from fish Fridays and Confession Day to the long wait for Easter. If you're curious about the story behind them, you might enjoy reading No Fish Heads for Me.
And because Lent eventually gives way to Easter, my interactive quiz La Quaresima e la Pasqua picks up where this word search leaves off, with questions about the traditions and celebrations that follow.
