The Procession of the "Incappucciati" (the Hooded Ones), organized by the Archconfraternity of Death and Prayer of Saint Philip Neri, takes place every Holy Thursday in Lanciano, in the Abruzzo region.
After sunset, from the Church of Santa Chiara, the male confreres emerge in two orderly lines, accompanied by the marching band.
With their lit torches, the confreres form a corridor of light around the central figure of the sacred procession: the Cyrenean, who, imitating Simon of Cyrene — the man who, according to the Gospels, helped Christ carry the cross to Golgotha —, carries a heavy wooden cross through the streets of the city.
The confreres wear a black habit with a hood that leaves only their eyes exposed. On their chest, they bear a white skull, symbolizing the fragility of life.
The statue of San Domenico is carried in procession through the streets of the medieval village.
The procession winds slowly through the streets of the historic center. The rhythm is marked by the deep sound of the "troccole" (traditional wooden instruments used in religious processions to produce a mournful, rhythmic sound) and the singing of the "Miserere" (a liturgical chant expressing penitence and seeking God's mercy). The townspeople participate in respectful silence.
The Procession of the Hooded Ones turns a personal act of religious devotion into a shared experience, amplifying its emotional impact and transforming it from an individual moment to a collective expression of the entire community.