Procession of the Black Christ

U Cristu Negru, the Black Christ of Miracles of Bastia

According to legend, the dark wooden crucifix was discovered at sea on the night of May 2nd to 3rd, 1428, by two anchovy fishermen, Giuliani and Camugli, who reportedly saw it radiating a thousand lights offshore. Collected and venerated ever since, the Black Christ of Miracles is now preserved in the Sainte-Croix oratory, in the heart of Bastia's citadel.

The Sainte-Croix Brotherhood

The Brotherhood of the White Penitents of Sainte-Croix, the oldest in the city, founded and erected its oratory in the 16th century. Richly decorated with gilded stuccoes created between 1758 and 1775 by artists of Ligurian and Corsican origin, the edifice houses the venerated crucifix. For centuries, the brotherhood has carried the Black Christ in procession every May 3rd.

The Schedule for May 3rd

The day revolves around services at Sainte-Marie Cathedral: mass in Corsican in the morning, solemn mass, followed by vespers and a procession in the late afternoon through the citadel's streets. The procession, gathering fishermen, brotherhoods, and faithful, descends to the Old Port for the blessing of the sea, the highlight of the celebration.

A religious event and emblematic pilgrimage in Bastia's calendar, the Procession of the Black Christ perpetuates a five-century-old tradition, deeply rooted in the city's identity.