Bianchi, Confraternity of

BIANCHI, Confraternity of. - Penitents, dressed in white, widespread in Italy in the last years of the 14th century.

In Chieri, as the Chronicon parvum Ripaltus recounts, some commoners, weary from the damage caused by Facino Cane in the war between Savoy and Montferrat, came out into the square crying "peace and mercy," scourging themselves to blood as a sign of penance. Thus began the popular religious movement of the "flagellants" called B., which traveled through the various regions and cities of Italy in 1399. Over their customary clothes they wore linen garments that fell to their feet. Their head and face were covered by a hood with two holes for the eyes; on their head and chest stood out a red cross; a rope belt cinched their waists. Processing, they advanced two or three abreast, carrying lighted candles in their hands, striking themselves hard with a scourge while singing lauds and asking forgiveness for their sins.

The hymns, of scant literary value, were composed for the occasion or were taken from a repertory or laudario of pre-existing confraternities. In a miniature of the manuscript chronicle of G. Sercambi there is a printed reproduction of the official lauda, a mournful song, Misericordia, eterno Dio.

The populace joined the passage of the B. en masse, and along with the common people also the ecclesiastical and civil authorities (such as the blessed Giovanni Dominici in Venice, Archbishop Fieschi in Genoa, Marquis Niccolò d'Este in Ferrara, Carlo Malatesta and Carlo Gonzaga in Rimini). From the B. a renewal of spirits and morals was awaited and hoped for. Boniface IX, at first distrustful, then drawn by the piety of the pilgrims and by the miracle that occurred at Sutri (v.), favored them, and he too took part in the processions. The B., after traversing all of Italy, without however crossing its borders, died out because of the plague of 1400. Their chief work was to restore peace among discordant cities.

Benvenuto Matteucci