Fracchie Procession
The Good Friday fire illuminating San Marco in Lamis
About Le Fracchie
Le Fracchie, the most beautiful night in San Marco in Lamis
The Fracchie Procession is the ritual that transforms San Marco in Lamis, a town in the Gargano area in the province of Foggia (Puglia), into a river of fire every Good Friday. As evening falls, dozens of fracchie—enormous torches of burning wood—are lit and pulled by hand along the streets of the historic center, illuminating the path of the statue of Our Lady of Sorrows as she searches for her deceased Son. It is one of the most intense and recognizable Easter celebrations in the entire region.
What are the fracchie?
The fracchie are not simple torches: they are imposing cones of wood with a tapered shape, mounted horizontally on sturdy axles equipped with iron wheels. The maestri fracchisti, respected figures in the community, build them weeks before the procession using centuries-old logs and tons of selected wood, arranging each layer with precise logic to ensure slow and steady combustion throughout the night. Pulling them requires the strength of dozens of men, who move with their shoulders low and steps slow amidst the sparks and smoke.
A tradition passed down through generations
Rooted in the popular culture of the Gargano for centuries, the construction of the fracchie is a craft passed down from father to son and grandfather to grandson, a true human chain spanning generations. The event is organized by the Arciconfraternita dei Sette Dolori and the Associazione Le Fracchie, in collaboration with the Municipality of San Marco in Lamis, which regulates the route and safety every year.
More than just Good Friday evening
The evening procession is the culmination of an entire Holy Week rich in religious rites and civil events: from the musical meditation on Palm Sunday to the evocative dawn procession, from the visits to the Altars of Repose on Holy Thursday to convivial moments like the Furnare per un giorno on Holy Saturday. An experience that unites faith, collective memory, and the identity of an entire town.
Le Fracchie — edition 2026
On Good Friday, April 3, 2026, San Marco in Lamis renewed its most iconic ritual: the Fracchie Procession. After the daytime display of the large wood cones along the town streets, the fracchie were lit in the evening and pulled by hand to accompany the statue of Our Lady of Sorrows. The edition was regulated by a specific municipal ordinance, the result of joint work between the administration, the Arciconfraternita dei Sette Dolori, and the Associazione Le Fracchie, which defined the route and safety measures. As a 2026 novelty, the Mercatino delle Fracchie (Fracchie Market) also debuted in its first edition.
Programme Le Fracchie 2026
Sunday, March 29 — Palm Sunday
- 8:00 PM — Maria SS. Addolorata Church: musical meditation "Piange la Madre pietosa"
Monday, March 30
- 4:00 PM — Vicariate Way of the Cross
Tuesday, March 31
- 5:00 PM — Municipal Library Auditorium: 2026 Fracchie Award ceremony
- 7:30 PM — Sant'Antonio Abate Church: Easter Concert with the Te Deum Laudamus choir
Holy Thursday — April 2
- 10:00 AM-2:00 PM — Viale della Repubblica: first edition of the Fracchie Market
- 7:00 PM-12:00 AM — Visit to the Altars of Repose in the city's churches and sanctuaries
Good Friday — April 3
- 5:30 AM — Dawn procession of Our Lady of Sorrows through the town streets
- 10:00 AM — Fracchie displayed along the town streets
- 5:00 PM — Procession of the Dead Jesus
- 8:00 PM — Evening procession of Our Lady of Sorrows accompanied by the lit fracchie
Holy Saturday — April 4
- 11:30 AM — "Furnare per un giorno", traditional gastronomic experience
Sunday, April 5 — Easter
- 12:00 PM — Procession of Our Lady dressed for the feast, symbol of the Resurrection
Highlights Le Fracchie 2026
Prices Le Fracchie 2026
Practical information — Le Fracchie
When
Every Good Friday. The evening procession with the lit fracchie begins around 8:00 PM.
Where
Historic center of San Marco in Lamis (FG), along Viale della Repubblica, Piazza Europa, Viale Europa, and Piazza Oberdan.
How to get there
San Marco in Lamis can be reached by car via the SS89 and SS272 roads in the Gargano; the nearest motorway exit is Poggio Imperiale (A14). The reference railway stations are San Severo and Foggia, which are connected to the town by bus.
Costs
Free admission to the event.
Tips
Keep a safe distance from the moving fracchie and follow the organizers' instructions. Wear comfortable clothing and watch out for sparks.
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Where does it take place — Le Fracchie
Centro storico e Viale della Repubblica
Viale della Repubblica, 71014 San Marco in Lamis