Readers who may be in Italy today should remember that it's Good Friday, the first full day of the Easter Triduum. The faithful will be commemorating the Passion, Crucifixion, and death of Jesus Christ today, with processions being organised in most cities and towns. These events may prove interesting also for those who aren't believers and who may have an interest in disciplines such as art, costume, history and anthropology.
According to some historians the oldest procession in Italy is the one organised in Chieti, in the Abruzzo region.
Apparently they used to do a procession over there as early as the 9th century, but the format of the modern procession probably dates back to the 16th century when the Confraternita (Brotherhood) that organises it - also known as Arciconfraternita del Sacro Monte dei Morti (The Brotherhood of the Sacred Mount of the Dead) - was founded.
The procession takes place also in very adverse weather conditions. It even took place during the Second World War in a very brief version that enraged the German troops who had banned it (and who entered the cathedral to punish the men who had joined the procession only to discover they had escaped from secondary or secret exits...).
As the procession is in memory of Jesus Christ's Passion, it has got a somber and mournful character, with members of the Arciconfraternita donning a black tunic, gold satin cape and black hood.
Members of the other local brotherhoods have different colours and a white hood (the hoods are symbols of humility - the brothers erase indeed in this way their identity).
Symbols of the passion of Jesus Christ - the angel, the spears, the tunic and so on - are carried along as the procession moves from the Cathedral of San Giustino crossing the streets of the city accompanied by a live choir and musicians singing and playing Saverio Selecchy's touching "Miserere" (1740; you can listen to the procession soundtrack here).
This piece is extremely moving and it is definitely one of the main elements that distinguishes this procession from many others.
People with an interest in costume design should maybe pay attention to two statues in particular, the dead Christ and Our Lady of Sorrows (the latter dates back to 1910).
The former rests on a pall of black velvet decorated with gold and silver embroideries and made in 1827 by master embroiderer Pasquale Randazzi (this piece was restored in 1930) and is covered in a white veil with gold embroideries; the latter is dressed in a heavy black faille gown with gold embroideries (the traditional dress of Our Lady of Sorrows was copied by Dolce & Gabbana in their Autumn/Winter 2012-13 collection...), she clutches a white handkerchief and her head is covered in a black veil punctured with golden stars.
The statue of Our Lady of Sorrows usually wears more humble clothes and on the Wednesday before the procession a special team of women (the Governor's wife, a prioress, and a dressmaker who takes care of the sacred vestments) dress her in black.
As you can see, religious processions can provide plenty of inspirations, but try to think also about the people who are actively taking part in these public events and not appropriate certain elements (as too many prominent fashion designers have done so far...), remembering to always put respect in front of profit.
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