The Procession of the Dead Friars and the Lost Souls
9th Edition
Saturday
November 16, 2024
10:30 AM
Naples
Rione Sanità – Borgo Vergini
The Procession of the Dead Friars and the Lost Souls of the Fontevecchia Association will open, for the ninth consecutive year, the Festivities of the Long Christmas of Naples on Saturday, November 16 in Naples (photo A – Friars' procession).
The procession of the Friars, accompanied by the music of the bagpipes and dances in 18th-century Neapolitan and 19th-century Abruzzese historical costumes, will color the streets of one of the historic and characteristic neighborhoods of the Neapolitan metropolis during the ninth edition of the event organized by Fontevecchia, I Sedili di Napoli, Camminando Insieme, Beato Marco d'Aviano, La Gualdana dell'Orso, the Ipssar De Cecco of Pescara, the Parthenope Dance Society, La Gualdana dell'Orso, I Cantori di Grotta e S. Anna, and the Zampogne d'Abruzzo.
The event, on the occasion of the 9th edition, will begin at 10:30 AM from the Vincenziano Complex in Borgo Vergini (photo 1), in the heart of the Rione Sanità, a historic place that houses the "Portrait of the Damned Soul" (photo 2) and the third ampoule of St. Januarius' blood (photo 3). The itinerant procession will pass through the colorful market of the neighborhood, enter Via Sanità, and continue, with the small boxes for spiritual alms (photo B – Small Boxes), to Santa Maria Antesaecula, where the birthplace of Antonio De Curtis (photo 4), the prince of laughter: Totò, is located. On the walls, there are large photographs that honor the "souls of the poor" (photo C – Souls of the Poor). From there, the procession will continue along Via Sanità, Vico Lammatari, emerging right in front of the Basilica of Santa Maria della Sanità, where the Catacombs of San Gaudioso are located (photo map). The procession will be opened by a colorful Abruzzese Pulcinella, followed by the procession of the Dead Friars accompanied by the bagpipes and shawms of the Zampogne d'Abruzzo. The theatrical performance will be directed by Luciano Troiano and the Neapolitan associations participating in the event. (photo – Basilica Sanità credit FAI)
The heart of Naples' popular center will be the ideal backdrop for the initiative, which will make Borgo Vergini even livelier, more colorful, and evocative thanks to the 19th-century Abruzzese costumes and the 18th-century Neapolitan costumes that will be part of the procession, all to the sound of the Zampogne d'Abruzzo (photo D – Procession with bagpipes), who will perform hymns and Christmas music as per tradition.
The Procession of the Dead Friars and the Lost Souls will guide the attendees through legends and oral tales of the people of the ancient Kingdom, which come to life in the Neapolitan popular nativity scene. (Photo E)
“Honored and pleased to open the Christmas festivities in what, for our association, is the city of reference for our history and culture. Abruzzo – says Luciano Troiano, president of Fontevecchia – was part of the Kingdom of Naples before and the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies afterward, for about 800 years. History, customs, and traditions are similar and connect us. The rediscovery of stories, legends, and tales is part of our intangible heritage that we must pass on to younger generations to ensure they are not lost. The event is made possible thanks to teamwork with the other associations that have embraced our idea and actively contributed to its realization.”
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“The Neapolitan nativity scene – explained Giuseppe Serroni, President of the non-profit organization I Sedili di Napoli Ets – is famous worldwide for its inimitable artistic beauty and for the richness of its scenery and the figures that populate it. However, few know or remember that it is the plastic manifestation, using metaphors and symbols, of a true penitential path towards Redemption, where Life and Death, Birth and Resurrection, walk side by side. It is in this light that seemingly anachronistic characters are present in the nativity scene, often derived from the apocryphal gospels or from popular tales and legends.”
Departure by bus from Pescara, piazzale della Motorizzazione at 05:45 AM - Info: 331/6796820
Event Map:
