The Procession of the Dead Christ, in Chieti, takes place on Good Friday and is one of the most emotional and heartfelt celebrations in all of Italy: through the streets of the city moves the hooded procession of the ancient Confraternities, amidst the splendor of 19th-century wooden statues and the moving Miserere raised by a hundred male voices and violins.
The Procession of the Dead Christ is an integral part of the popular feeling of Chieti, so much so that not even the threat of German troops during the Second World War was able to stop it: it is a ritual born in the year 842, deeply rooted in the most genuine Abruzzo traditions, still cared for by the Archconfraternity of the Sacred Mount of the Dead.
At the first signs of dusk, the city – illuminated by candles lit by thousands of faithful and by tripods placed along the streets – prepares to see the wooden statues symbolizing the Passion of Jesus and the depiction of the most important moments of the Way of the Cross pass by.
These works of art, dating back to 1855, depict the angel, the purse, the spears, the rooster, the ladder, the pincers, and of course the Cross.
Along the sides of the streets, from the balconies overlooking the route, silk drapes, precious blankets and fine fabrics are spread out as a sign of devotion.
Meanwhile, the procession swells with faithful and participants in the procession, hooded figures wearing the dress of their respective Confraternity.
The strongest and most important focal point is obviously the passage of the Dead Christ, barely covered by a precious white veil, laid on a coffin wrapped in black velvet with gold embroidery. This charming work of art, a prominent element of the Procession of the Dead Christ, is carried on the shoulders of the members of the Archconfraternity of the Good Death.
Immediately behind comes the statue of the Sorrowful Virgin which continues on the Holy route, while in the background the notes of the Miserere by Saverio Selecchy can be heard.
The Procession of the Dead Christ in Chieti is a popular, artistic, religious event; an opportunity to experience feelings of devotion with traditions rooted through the centuries.
