AFFRONTATA

AFFRONTATA. - An episode characteristic of many Holy Week processions, especially in the towns of central and southern Italy. While from one church, with part of the procession, the statue of the dead Christ emerges, borne on the arms of the faithful, another statue, representing the Sorrowful Virgin, in turn sets out from another church and is led through the streets of the town to enact the search which the Holy Mother makes for her Son. At a certain point the two statues meet, amid the most intense manifestations of religious fervour on the part of all the people: this meeting is accordingly called, in various places, the affrontata, or confronto, or also giunta. Analogous episodes are also found in processions held on other feast days. In some places, at the moment of the meeting, doves, sparrows, and swallows are released.