Procession Of The Christ

Procession of the Christ – Castiglione di Garfagnana

After the Mass in coena Domini, the Procession of the Christ takes place. The faithful leave the church and follow in procession a man dressed as Christ, with large chains on his feet and loaded with a heavy wooden cross. No one, except the prior of the local Confraternity, must know the identity of the penitent.

To ensure that he can remain anonymous, he is previously locked up, by the prior himself, in a large cabinet located in the sacristy. He will go out for the procession and, after having walked the streets of the town, often with bleeding feet, he will be closed again in the same closet, while two members of the Brotherhood, dressed as Roman warriors, stand guard so that no one disturbs him. Late at night the penitent will finally be able to go out.