Songs, crocchi and stramuoi: ancient words of a living history!
The tradition of carrying ‘Cristi’, heavy wooden crucifixes, in procession has its roots in the 17th century. Since then, they have been part of the treasury of the confraternities, which are responsible for ‘dressing them up’ with the chants (precious gold and silver tinkling decorations) and forming teams of cristezzanti (bearers) and stramuoi (helpers) who place the cross in the crocchio (leather cup on the belt). The operation requires great skill, because the Christs, which weigh up to 150kg, have to be kept balanced on the crowd of worshippers.
Curiosity: On the first Sunday between New Year’s Eve and Epiphany, christians from all over the province of Genoa gather in the Oratorio dei Bianchi.