Sanch Procession

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The famous "Sanch Procession" folklore, once forbidden, is still celebrated in Perpignan, Arles-sur-Tech and Collioure.

The Procession de la Sanch is an annual ceremony in several towns in France. It opens the Easter holy week (on Good Friday, or 'Vendredi Saint'). Historically, a distinctive peaked, masked robe is used to protect the identity of prisoners (from revenge by those wronged) being led to their town's annual execution. This practical ceremony intermingled with Christian traditions of Good Friday, and a today a long procession of black-robed people are led in silence by someone in a red robe to the solemn tapping of a tambourine, as part of the Good Friday celebrations.^[1]