Processione del Venerdì Santo
Throughout Italy, Good Friday is celebrated with a Procession through the streets. The toughest decision is "Where do we go to view this tradition?" We decided on the intimate town of Spello, a beautiful yet densely-inhabited town, built of stone, enclosed in a circuit of medieval walls on Roman foundations. It is one of the most gorgeous of the small hilltop towns in Umbria.
After a wonderful dinner, al fresco, we adjourned to Santa Maria Maggiore (1159), an exquisite church with a Romanesque façade and a 13th century bell tower. The pilasters next to the apse have frescoes by Perugino (1512) yet the feature Spellani are most proud of is the chapel, Cappella Bella, frescoed by Pinturicchio.
Music, tradition, candles and most of the town joined us as we followed only one of the fourteen Stations of the Cross,Via Crucis. We learned this refers to the depiction of the final hours (or Passion) of Jesus, and
the devotion commemorating the Passion. Interestingly, the tradition as chapel devotion began with St. Francis of Assisi and extended throughout the Roman Catholic Church in the medieval period.
It was an evening of education, camaraderie and all things Italian.
After a wonderful dinner, al fresco, we adjourned to Santa Maria Maggiore (1159), an exquisite church with a Romanesque façade and a 13th century bell tower. The pilasters next to the apse have frescoes by Perugino (1512) yet the feature Spellani are most proud of is the chapel, Cappella Bella, frescoed by Pinturicchio.
Music, tradition, candles and most of the town joined us as we followed only one of the fourteen Stations of the Cross,Via Crucis. We learned this refers to the depiction of the final hours (or Passion) of Jesus, and
the devotion commemorating the Passion. Interestingly, the tradition as chapel devotion began with St. Francis of Assisi and extended throughout the Roman Catholic Church in the medieval period.
It was an evening of education, camaraderie and all things Italian.
1 comments:
I think you chose wisely. :) What great lighting!
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