The Arciconfraternita della Morte dal Sacco Nero was founded on 26th April 1613 during the episcopacy of Mons. Bovio. On 28th January, 1614, it was joined to the Arciconfraternita Madre di S. Maria della Orazione e Morte of Rome. Only people belonging to established ranks could be part of the confraternity.
The rules explicitly declared that “we will not accept everyone without discrimination, but we will consider if they are of fine habits, if they are civilized, or at least artisans, otherwise we will not accept them”. In contrast to its original elitist nature, today the Arciconfraternita is primarily composed of artisans, workers, merchants, sailors, and farmers, though it includes also professionals and office workers. From its origins, the Brotherhood’s action has been aimed mainly to take care of the souls of the dead and grant free Christian burials to the poor, “for God’s love’”. Still today its members continue to pursue such an aim with the prayer for the souls of the dead. In addition to the original aim, the brothers devoted themselves to the cult of Magdalene, the Seven Sorrows of Our Lady and of the Sorrowful Mysteries. Later, the devotion was moved mainly towards the cult of the Blessed Lady of Our Sorrows and the Pieta; in particular, the sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Maria have constantly enlivened the brothers’ Christian activity.
Since 1743, the Arciconfraternita has been located in the church of S. Maria Consolatrice degli Afflitti, known as Purgatorio.
Since its foundation, that can be dated back to the late Middle Ages, the Arciconfraternita di Santo Stefano dal Sacco Rosso of Molfetta has been placed in the homonymous church, located close to the old town.
In 1586, it joined the Arciconfraternita della S.S. Trinità de’ Pellegrini e Convalescenti of Rome; the confraternity’s first written statute was drawn up only in 1764, and later approved by Ferdinando IV of Borbone.
The confraternity acquired the legal status of Ecclesiastic Authority with the 20th April 1936 Royal Decree.
St. Stephen is the Brotherhood’s Saint Patron; an amphora full of stones sustaining a crown stands as its symbol.
The motto of the confraternity is “Dulces et nomine digni”, while its ensigns are a red sack dress with a hood of the same colour, a red cincture and hat, and brown gloves. Under the sack dress, the brothers wear a suit with a dark tie and a white shirt. The red hat, folded up like a feluca, hangs on the brothers’ left hip: its use was authorized by the 1856 Royal Decree and still today is typical of the tunic of this confraternity.
Beside the organization of religious events among which the Five Mysteries procession on Holy Friday represents the highest expression, since its foundation, the Arciconfraternita has been involved in charity works together with the Opera Bontà di S. Stefano.
