During his Grand Tour abroad from 1834 to 1837, Rørbye stayed on the Italian island of Procida, which is situated off Naples between Cap Miseno and the island of Ischia, from 20 June to 3 July 1835.

In his travel journal he writes on the day he arrives to the island (in Danish): “Today I got a good room for myself with a balcony and a lovely view of the sea. It seems that I am with honest people. I have drawn quite diligently today, and in the twilight, I walked around to make myself acquainted with the city. The locals are already making scaffolds and other preparations for a celebration set to be held on one of the upcoming days and at which I hope to see quite a lot of the beautiful clothing.”

The celebration mentioned by Rørbye in the above quotation takes place a few days later on 25 June, and Rørbye writes the following about it in his diary:

“Their childlike faith almost causes admiration. Today is the Feast of Corpus Domini, toward which all the preparations of the preceding days have been aimed at. There was a great procession with many banners and crucifixes, the most sacred was carried under a baldachin, and among the many beautiful, dressed-up children who followed, some looked like angels with wings etc, all the stops were pulled out. For the first time, I knelt at a ceremony today so as not to be the only one that might stir up the indignation of the strong believers of the Procidians.” (the above quotes come from Martinus Rørbye’ travel journal mr.ktdk.dk, Sources for Danish Art History, New Carlsberg Foundation).

It is this religious feast and procession that Rørbye has portrayed in the present drawing. One can see, among other things, the mentioned baldachin, under which the most sacred is carried, and children with angel wings, and other people who, like Rørbye himself, spontaneously kneel for the holy procession.