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On 3 April 2026, in the village of Cantiano, in the hinterland of the province of Pesaro and Urbino, the Turba returns: the evocative Good Friday religious pageant that transforms the village into a vast open-air theatre every year.
Hundreds of costumed participants play characters from the Old and New Testaments, bringing to life a re-enactment of the Passion of Christ in the streets, squares and scenic spots of the historic centre. The scenes unfold one after the other along the route, and the audience follows the narrative by moving between the different locations of the performance.
The tradition has its roots in the popular movements calling for peace that were widespread in the Marche and Umbria regions in the 13th century. Originally, these were penitential processions led by the disciplinati, confraternities of the faithful who passed through the villages singing the Miserere and performing rites of penance. In Cantiano, these practices led to the establishment of the Compagnia dei Battuti, which in the 15th century became the Compagnia del Buon Gesù on the initiative of St Bernard of Siena, and was tasked with organising the Good Friday procession.
Over the centuries, the procession has evolved into an increasingly structured re-enactment of the Passion. In the twentieth century, the Turba was revamped with the addition of dialogue and a more theatrical dimension, while retaining the tradition’s strong popular and religious character.
Good Friday begins at dawn with the traditional Visita alle Sette Chiese (Visit to the Seven Churches), heralded by the passage of a group of young people through the streets of the village with the Battistrangola, a wooden instrument used to summon the local population. The Passion play then begins in the evening, starting at 8:00 pm.
Organised by the La Turba Cultural Association, the event involves a large part of the local community each year and attracts numerous visitors.
