Good Friday Morning Procession in Assisi

A problem with internet access has kept me from posting for several days. I arrived in Assisi on the Wednesday before Easter, just in time for much of the activity surrounding this holy day. Not surprisingly, there are posters up around town celebrating the new pope, who has chosen a name very familiar to the people of Assisi.

On Friday morning I joined in the “Procession from the Cathedral of San Rufino to the Basilica of San Francesco”, which stops at the cloistered convents of Santa Chiara, San Quirico, San Giuseppe and Santa Colette. A bier with a statue of the crucified Christ is carried to allow the nuns at each location to pay veneration and respect. Here is the procession leaving San Rufino.

It winds down narrow streets in the direction of the Basilica of Santa Chiara, which is seen ahead.



After visiting Santa Chiara, more narrow streets lead to San Quirico.

Here one sees the bier outside the convent, waiting for the Christ figure to be brought back out.

And the procession resumes.

Next is San Giuseppe, then the procession moves down the hill to Santa Colette, which is seen on the left .

A little further down begins the uphill climb to the Basilica of San Francesco.

The procession ends with a service in the lower church of the Basilica.

You may have noticed from how people are dressed that Spring is late in arriving in Assisi this year. Even on Easter Sunday people were bundled up and carrying umbrellas. The red poppies that normally spring up in March are nowhere to be seen, just yet. But early or late, Spring does have a way of arriving.
Ciao.