The most eagerly awaited event crowning celebrations of Holy Week are the Good Friday Processions,
the White procession in the morning and the Black one in the evening.
The names of the processions derive from the colors worn by the participants, white represents hope of St. Mary searching for her son Jesus,
broken by the black sorrow over the body of her Crucified son.
The origins of the celebrations go back to the Middle Ages, when at the end of 13th century Sorrento witnessed local people in sackcloth and bearing lighted torches, who
visited the tombs in various churches singing penitential psalms on the evening of Holy Thursday.
In the 16th century the Arch-Confraternity of Death moved the procession to Good Friday. The statue of Dead Christ was accompanied by a large wooden cross, and in further years the symbols of Sufferings, such as the lance, the sponge, the Nails and the Crown of Thorns.
The statue of Our Lady of Sorrows has been added in 18th century by the monks from St.Francis of Asissi. In 1806 the King of Naples expulted the friars from the monastery,
and the Arch-Confraternity connected with St.Francis where replaced by the new persons who sustained the tradition. Later on the procession evolved into two separate ones, but connected in spiritual way.
The White Procession
is organized by the Venerable Arch-confraternity of Santa Monica of the church of Assumption. It leads through the streets of Sorrento, when the first sunlight breaks the night.
The dim lights of Lamps and torches accompanied by the sound of Miserere chorals create a harrowing atmosfere.
The sculpture carried by the participants represents St.Mary going out in search of her son Jesus.
The mysteries are enriched by the symbols of the Arch-Confraternity, banners and small wooden crosses.
The Black Procession
takes place at the dusk, and this time the torch light surround the sculpture of Jesus taken out of the Cross accompanied by the mentioned earlier instruments of Sufferings and followed by the sculpture of Our Lady of Sorrows.
The procession is organized by the Servants of Mary who share it with the Clergy and Chapter of the Sorrento Cathedral.
[photo courtesy of saracino]
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