18th April 2025
On Good Friday, as the sun sets, Amalfi is plunged into darkness, illuminated only by the flickering light of torches and braziers, which accompany the solemn nighttime procession of the Dead Christ. This is a deeply moving religious ritual, part of the Christian Catholic Easter liturgy, marking the laying of Christ’s body in the tomb before His resurrection.
Amalfi’s Procession of the Dead Christ is a moment of profound unity, a sacred rite in which the sheer emotional power is felt as the hooded figures, each carrying a lantern, emerge onto the grand staircase of the Cathedral of Sant’Andrea. As the statue of the battered body of Christ appears, the traditional hymns begin. Among these are the poignant “Sento l’amaro pianto” (I Hear the Bitter Cry) and “Veder l’orrenda morte” (To See the Horrific Death), sung to original melodies composed in the 19th century by Amalfi’s own Giacomo Tirabasso, once a court organist to the Bourbon kings and father of the renowned organist and musicologist Antonio Tirabasso.
The Dead Christ, followed by the statue of the Sorrowful Madonna, winds through the streets of Amalfi’s historic centre, transforming it into a moving theatre of grief and devout participation.
As this is a sacred ceremony, attendees are kindly asked to observe the event in respectful silence, absorbing the deep atmosphere and intricate details of this age-old tradition.
Why experience the Procession of the Dead Christ in Amalfi?
- To witness one of the most poignant expressions of faith in southern Italy’s Catholic traditions.
- To see a different, authentic side of Amalfi and Piazza Duomo, far removed from the glamour of Italy’s tourist hotspots.
What to pair with a weekend full of emotion:
- A Lemon Tour in Amalfi
- A walk along Praiano’s Naturarte Trails
- A Mozzarella Experience in Agerola
