Procession of the Good Friday of Vertova
A sacred re-enactment in costume that evokes the deposition of Christ
About Good Friday of Vertova
A centuries-old tradition
The Procession of the Good Friday of Vertova is one of the most deeply rooted Holy Week events in the Val Seriana, in the province of Bergamo. Its origins are ancient: it was the Bishop of Bergamo who officially authorized the procession in 1736, but the custom has its roots in earlier times. Today, the rite is registered in the Lombardy Register of Intangible Heritage.
The deposition
Preparations begin on the Monday of Holy Week, with the setting up of a large red panel and the cross on the altar of the parish church. At noon on Good Friday, the attendants remove Christ from the niche and fix him to the cross on the altar with three nails, for the re-enactment of the deposition.
The procession in costume
In the evening, the re-enactment begins, involving a large number of participants:
- confraternity members, Roman soldiers with wooden helmets and halberds;
- hooded penitents, including one dressed in red representing Jesus and one in white representing the Cyrenean;
- religious figures, torches, and lanterns accompanying the procession.
Two penitents remain anonymous, passing on their role from generation to generation. The procession winds through the streets of the historic center for about forty-five minutes.
A community heritage
Preserved by the Good Friday Group and the Parish of Vertova, the re-enactment is an identity heritage of the town and the entire Lombardy Region, capable of attracting faithful and visitors every year for its intensity and the care taken with the costumes and gestures passed down through the centuries.
Good Friday of Vertova — edition 2026
In 2026, the Procession of the Good Friday of Vertova will take place on Friday, April 3rd. The re-enactment follows the rite passed down for centuries: the deposition of Christ from the cross at noon and, in the evening, the solemn procession in costume through the streets of the historic center, starting from the parish church of Santa Maria Assunta.
The procession involves confraternity members, Roman soldiers with wooden helmets and halberds, hooded penitents, torches, and lanterns, for a re-enactment that lasts about forty-five minutes.
Programme Good Friday of Vertova 2026
Friday, April 3, 2026
- Morning (Monday–Friday of Holy Week) — setting up of the red panel and the cross on the parish church's altar.
- Good Friday Noon — deposition of Christ from the niche and fixing to the cross on the altar.
- Evening — sacred re-enactment and procession in costume through the streets of the historic center, with confraternity members, Roman soldiers, hooded penitents (red for Jesus, white for the Cyrenean), torches, and lanterns. Procession duration: approximately 45 minutes.
The precise times of the 2026 celebrations will be communicated by the Parish of Vertova closer to Holy Week.
Highlights Good Friday of Vertova 2026
- Tradition authorized by the Bishop of Bergamo in 1736
- Registered in the Lombardy Register of Intangible Heritage
- Deposition of Christ and procession in costume in the historic center
- Confraternity members, Roman soldiers, and hooded penitents
Prices Good Friday of Vertova 2026
Practical information — Good Friday of Vertova
When
The procession takes place every Good Friday, in the evening. In 2026, it falls on Friday, April 3rd.
Where
The re-enactment starts from the parish church of Santa Maria Assunta in Vertova (BG) and continues along the streets of the historic center. Access is free; respect for the religious nature of the event is recommended.
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Where does it take place — Good Friday of Vertova
Chiesa parrocchiale di Santa Maria Assunta e vie del centro storico