Good Friday Procession

The 179th edition

In 2025, the Good Friday Procession in Roseto Valfortore reached its 179th edition, taking place on April 18 in the heart of the Monti Dauni, in the province of Foggia. The sacred re-enactment confirmed the richness of the tradition: over fifty participants, thirteen Roman soldiers on horseback (the so-called "Giudei"), children dressed in white with the symbols of the Passion, and the papier-mâché statues of Jesus, the Madonna, and Saint John.

The community also renewed the ancient public auction mechanism for assigning the main roles — Veronica, the Roman soldiers, and the three Marys — while the band opened the day with the hymn composed by Maestro Donatelli in 1882. The "La Tomba" catafalque, five metres tall, was carried on the shoulders of twelve bearers along the uphill route, a metaphor for the Via Crucis, amidst numerous faithful and visitors.