Holy Week Processions (White Procession and Black Procession)
Hooded figures, the Dead Christ, and the chanting of the Miserere in the historic center of Sorrento
About Good Friday Processions of Sorrento
The most iconic ritual of the Sorrento Peninsula
Every spring, the Municipality of Sorrento, in the Metropolitan City of Naples, Campania, becomes the stage for one of the oldest and most recognizable Holy Week rituals in Southern Italy. For a few days, the historic center sheds its usual tourist rhythm and surrenders to the slow pace of the hooded figures of the archconfraternities: men and boys with covered faces, torches in hand, and silence as their rule. Two processions in particular have made Sorrento famous far beyond regional borders: the White Procession and the Black Procession, which follow one another on Good Friday.
The White Procession of the Archconfraternity of Santa Monica
This is the most evocative, as it takes place while the city sleeps. At 3:00 AM on Good Friday, the doors of the Church of the Santissima Annunziata open, and the procession of the Venerable Archconfraternity of Santa Monica emerges. As the oldest lay congregation in Sorrento, its origins date back to 1439, and it was granted the title of archconfraternity by apostolic brief in 1886. The members, known as Cinturati, wear white robes with black belts and hoods pulled over their faces. They accompany the statue of the Madonna Addolorata (Our Lady of Sorrows) who, according to tradition, searches for her Son through the city streets. The route crosses via Fuoro, corso Italia, piazza Tasso, via San Cesareo, via Tasso, piazza Sant'Antonino, and via Luigi De Maio, before returning to the Annunziata.
The Black Procession of the Dead Christ
On the evening of the same day, at 8:30 PM, it is the turn of the Venerable Archconfraternity of Death, which traces its roots back to 1380—when it was dedicated to Saint Catello—and which, after the demolition of its church in the 1860s, found its home in the Church of the Servi di Maria, on via Sersale. The procession, entirely in black, accompanies a stunning 18th-century wooden statue of the Dead Christ along via Sersale, via degli Aranci, corso Italia, piazza Tasso, via San Cesareo, and via Tasso. Some members carry symbols of the Passion, ropes, and scourges; the return is accompanied by funeral chants and concludes with a liturgical act and a blessing with the wood of the Cross.
The Miserere and funeral marches
The sonic heart of the processions is the Miserere choir: a large group of singers intoning the verses of Psalm 50 in Latin, a custom documented in Sorrento since the 16th century. The choristers are the only ones to walk with their faces uncovered. The processions are led by a marching band that performs solemn funeral marches from the classical repertoire: it is the contrast between the darkness, the torches, and this music that gives the Sorrento processions their fame.
More than just Good Friday
The week is marked by several events, all in the center of Sorrento:
- Holy Monday — Procession of the Addolorata by the Confraternity of San Giovanni in Fontibus of Marina Grande, departing from the parish church of Sant'Anna.
- Holy Thursday — White Procession of the Venerable Archconfraternity of the SS. Rosario, from the church of Saints Felice and Baccolo, with a visit to the Altars of Repose.
- Night between Holy Thursday and Good Friday — White Procession of Santa Monica.
- Good Friday evening — Black Procession of the Dead Christ.
A tradition shared by the entire coast
The processions are not an isolated event: during the same week, Meta, Piano di Sorrento, and Sant'Agnello also take their hooded processions to the streets, making the Sorrento Peninsula one of the richest districts in Italy for popular Easter rituals. In Sorrento, membership in the archconfraternities is passed down from father to son and is experienced as a privilege; many young people are among the members, a sign that the tradition is far from being a museum piece.
Why it's worth the trip
Witnessing the White Procession at 3:00 AM, with the historic center deserted and only the sound of footsteps, is an unforgettable experience. The processions are free and open to everyone: there are no tickets, no grandstands, just the city and its people.
Good Friday Processions of Sorrento — edition 2026
Holy Week 2026 in Sorrento
In 2026, Easter fell on April 5 and Good Friday on April 3: it was on that day that the historic center of Sorrento hosted the two historic processions. At 3:00 AM, the White Procession of the Venerable Archconfraternity of Santa Monica left the Church of the Santissima Annunziata; at 8:30 PM, the Black Procession of the Venerable Archconfraternity of Death left the Church of the Servi di Maria, on via Sersale, with the 18th-century wooden statue of the Dead Christ.
The week had begun earlier: Monday, March 30, with the Procession of the Addolorata of the Confraternity of San Giovanni in Fontibus, and Thursday, April 2, with the White Procession of the Venerable Archconfraternity of the SS. Rosario, dedicated to visiting the Altars of Repose. As per tradition, all events were free and open to the public.
Programme Good Friday Processions of Sorrento 2026
Monday, March 30, 2026 — 8:00 PM
Procession of the Addolorata — Confraternity of San Giovanni in Fontibus (Marina Grande). Departure from the parish church of Sant'Anna. Route: via del Mare, via Fuoro, Church of the Annunziata, vico III Fuoro, via San Nicola, via Accademia, via Tasso, piazza Vittorio Veneto, and return to Sant'Anna.
Thursday, April 2, 2026 — 8:30 PM
White Procession of the SS. Rosario — Venerable Archconfraternity of the SS. Rosario, with a visit to the Altars of Repose. Departure from the church of Saints Felice and Baccolo. Route: via Tasso, via San Cesareo, piazza Tasso, corso Italia, largo Parsano Vecchio, via del Mare, via Fuoro, via San Nicola, via dell'Accademia, and return.
Friday, April 3, 2026 — 3:00 AM
White Procession of the Addolorata — Venerable Archconfraternity of Santa Monica. Departure from the Church of the Santissima Annunziata. Route: via Fuoro, vico II Fuoro, corso Italia, piazza Tasso, via San Cesareo, via Tasso, via Vittorio Veneto, via San Francesco, piazza Sant'Antonino, via Luigi De Maio, and return to the Annunziata. Members in white robes and black belts, torches, Miserere choir, and band with funeral marches.
Friday, April 3, 2026 — 8:30 PM
Black Procession of the Dead Christ — Venerable Archconfraternity of Death. Departure from the Church of the Servi di Maria, via Sersale. Route: via Sersale, via degli Aranci, hospital area, corso Italia, piazza Tasso, via Capasso, via Correale, via San Cesareo, via Tasso, via Vittorio Veneto, via San Francesco, piazza Sant'Antonino, via Luigi De Maio, and return to the Servi di Maria. Upon return, chanting of the Miserere and liturgical action with the blessing of the wood of the Cross.
Highlights Good Friday Processions of Sorrento 2026
- The White Procession at 3:00 AM, in the completely deserted historic center
- The 18th-century wooden statue of the Dead Christ carried by the hooded figures of the Black Procession
- The Miserere choir, intoning the verses of Psalm 50 in Latin according to a custom documented since the 16th century
- Funeral marches performed by the band at the start of each procession
- The passage of the processions through piazza Tasso and the alleys of the Fuoro
- The visit to the Altars of Repose on Holy Thursday
Prices Good Friday Processions of Sorrento 2026
Practical information — Good Friday Processions of Sorrento
How to get there
By car: A3 Naples-Salerno motorway, exit at Castellammare di Stabia, then take the SS145 Sorrentina road to Sorrento. On the days of the processions, the historic center is closed to traffic: it is best to leave your car in the parking lots on corso Italia or via degli Aranci. By train: Circumvesuviana EAV line from Naples to Sorrento, with the terminus a short walk from piazza Tasso. By sea, in high season, there are connections from Naples, Capri, and Amalfi to the port of Marina Piccola.
Times and best viewing spots
The White Procession departs at 3:00 AM from the Church of the Santissima Annunziata; the Black Procession at 8:30 PM from the Church of the Servi di Maria on via Sersale. The most evocative spots to watch are piazza Tasso, via San Cesareo, and the narrow alleys of the Fuoro, where the processions pass closely between the houses.
Costs
Participation is free and open to all, with no reservation required.
Tips
These are religious rituals: silence and respect are required; please avoid intrusive flash photography and filming. At night, the temperature on the coast can still be cool, so a jacket is recommended. Accommodation in Sorrento should be booked well in advance for the Easter period.
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Where does it take place — Good Friday Processions of Sorrento
Centro storico di Sorrento (Chiesa della SS. Annunziata, Chiesa dei Servi di Maria, Piazza Tasso)
Piazza Tasso, 80067 Sorrento