Abruzzo Day 3. 18th April.
A second collage from my shots of the Good Friday procession of Chieti.
On the left side of the collage is the statue of Mary dressed in mourning – the cloths are of real clothe. This statue brings to the end the procession.
The two pictures on the right show the troupe of violinists – over 150 according to what I have read – and other instruments, accompanied by a big sized choir. These follow the symbol of the dead Christ (I showed the picture yesterday). The orchestra and choir are the highlight of the event with the haunting music they sing/play of the Miserere by Selecchy while walking behind the ‘Dead Christ’.
It is the responsibility of the Arch-confraternity of the ‘Sacro Monte dei Morti’ (Sacred mount of the dead) to organise and run the Good Friday procession of Chieti. This is one of the three remaining confraternities still in existence and one of the oldest. Their habit is quite different from that of the others and – I presume – its members are the ones allowed to carry the statues/symbols of the procession. Their cassock is black with a shoulder cape in gold.
Christian Confraternities are groups of people with a special devotion/reverence to a particular presentation of Christ, Mary or any of the other saints. Thus, a Confraternity of the Holy Cross has a special devotion to Christ Cruxified, and so goes for the others.
You ask ‘Why the hood?’ – this I do not know but many of these confraternities go back to the middle ages. I presume the hoods show a sign of penitence or, perhaps more probable, a vow taken hundreds of years ago by the inhabitants for being preserved from some plague, war or other calamity. And the vow has become part of the tradition and culture passed on from generation to generation.
Thank you all so very much for the interest shown in yesterday's picture and for your lovely comments.
Do appreciate your words with this event - an unknown one to many! It makes me feel as if I have no history! I'm going to see if I can find this choir singing Miserere on utube! Thank you for enriching my day!
This was so informative. I only know small bits and pieces of this part of church history. It's somewhat of an enigma in many ways. It must have been quite an experience.
