Over 150,000 people gathered in the small town of Guardia Sanframondi [Campania] on Sunday to watch a penitential rite that takes place every seven years on what has become known as the 鈥済iorno di sangue鈥 [鈥渄ay of blood鈥漖.
The rite is the culmination of a series of processions celebrating the discovery of a statue of the Madonna and Child in a field many centuries ago. Four hundred years ago, locals began carrying the statue through the town in times of war or plague and this developed into the event called the 鈥淢ysteries鈥.
The 鈥淢ysteries鈥 are organised by the four districts of the town and two neighbouring towns. During processions, participants dressed as characters from the Bible walk through the town but during the final, penitential rite, men from the town dress totally in white with white hoods covering their faces. Some are called 鈥渇lagellanti鈥 and beat their chests with a scourge as they walk. Other men, known as 鈥渂attenti鈥, carry a 鈥渟pugna鈥 [鈥渟ponge鈥漖 which is really a cork disc with nails driven into it. They use this to beat themselves. Helpers periodically pour wine on to the sponge as an antiseptic. There are also some child 鈥渇lagellanti鈥 who wear black but don鈥檛 worry 鈥 the children carry a small scourge but do not beat themselves. The event ends with the carrying of the statue through the town.
Participants, who do not reveal their identity even to their families, say they feel no pain but only joy. After the event, the instruments of torture are hidden and the men, feeling 鈥渞enewed鈥, go back to their day to day lives.
