Procession of the Dead Christ – Good Friday
One of the oldest processions in Italy, in the heart of Tifernate Holy Week
About Procession of the Dead Christ
A centuries-old tradition
The Procession of the Dead Christ in Città di Castello (province of Perugia) is one of the oldest in Italy, with roots stretching back to the Middle Ages: a tradition of over eight centuries that every year, on the night of Good Friday, draws faithful and visitors to the heart of the city.
The Confraternities and the "foco vivo"
The heart of the procession are the Confraternities of the Good Counsel and the Holy Spirit, custodians of the rite. The confreres advance slowly, accompanying the effigy of the Dead Christ and that of the Sorrowful Virgin, while the lit torches create a scene of great intensity in the darkness, evoked in Castello with the expression "foco vivo". The city band and the "Abbatini" choir also participate in the procession, along with civil and military authorities.
In the heart of Holy Week
The procession represents the most heartfelt moment of the Tifernate Holy Week, which unfolds through the churches and streets of the historic center. An event that combines religious devotion, historical memory, and a sense of community, in which the entire city gathers around a rite passed down from generation to generation.
Procession of the Dead Christ — edition 2026
On the night of Good Friday, April 3, 2026, Città di Castello renewed its oldest procession. From the church of Santa Maria Maggiore, the procession crossed the historic center – Corso Vittorio Emanuele, Piazza Matteotti, and Corso Cavour – to Piazza Gabriotti, where it concluded with a blessing in front of the Cathedral. The Confraternities of the Good Counsel and the Holy Spirit accompanied the effigies of the Dead Christ and the Sorrowful Virgin, while the lit torches recreated the famous "foco vivo". The city band, the "Abbatini" choir, and the return of the crossbowmen's drummers made the rite even more solemn.
Programme Procession of the Dead Christ 2026
Good Friday — April 3, 2026
- In the evening — Departure of the procession from the church of Santa Maria Maggiore
- Route along Corso Vittorio Emanuele, Piazza Matteotti, and Corso Cavour
- The Confraternities of the Good Counsel and the Holy Spirit accompany the effigies of the Dead Christ and the Sorrowful Virgin by torchlight
- Participation of the city band, the "Abbatini" choir, and the crossbowmen's drummers
- Arrival in Piazza Gabriotti and final blessing in front of the Cathedral
Highlights Procession of the Dead Christ 2026
Prices Procession of the Dead Christ 2026
Practical information — Procession of the Dead Christ
How to get there
Città di Castello is connected by the E45 highway (Città di Castello exit) and the Ferrovia Centrale Umbra railway. The procession takes place in the historic center, starting from the Santa Maria Maggiore area towards Piazza Gabriotti and the Cathedral.
Participation
Religious event, free and open to all. Appropriate attire for the solemnity of the rite is recommended.
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Where does it take place — Procession of the Dead Christ
Centro storico di Città di Castello
Chiesa di Santa Maria Maggiore, centro storico, 06012 Città di Castello