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Septennial Rites of Penance in honor of the Assumption of Virgin Mary

The Septennial Rites of Penance take place in Guardia Sanframondi since 1620. They are considered as the largest self-flagellation rites in the western world.

Oficially the Septennial Rites of Penance honor the discovery of a Virgin and Child statue in a field centuries ago. However Christianity was influenced by pagan beliefs in Campania.

The Septennial Rites of Penance - a series of processions formed by tableaux vivants (called "Misteri"), local choirs and penitents - are organised by the four districts committees of Guardia Sanframondi.

Preparations begin almost a year in advance. Inhabitants of the four districts (Rione Croce, Rione Portella, Rione Fontanella and Rione Piazza) make costumes and selecte the fellow citizens who will act in each one of the tableaux vivants.

The four districts of Guardia Sanframondi alternate in processions of penance and communion. The "disciplinanti" parade stricking their backs with the discipline, preceded by the "Misteri", tableaux vivants depicted by non-professional actors representing scenes of the Bible, historical events and the lives of the Saints.

The "disciplinanti" are so called because they use the "discipiline", an ancient tool for self-flagellation that consists of metal strips joined by a chain. A few of "disciplinanti" are women.

On Sunday, the so called "Day of Blood", all the districts form a grand procession. The "disciplinanti" join the "battenti" who hit their chest with the "spugna" (a disk of cork holding 33 pins). The "battienti" are all men. On Sunday the air is filled with the smell of blood and wine that attendants pour on the penintents' wounds to desinfecte them.

"Battenti" and "disciplinanti" wear a white wax and a hood to hide their identifies.

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Legend has it that the Feast began in the fifth century when the bishop Paolino, who had placed himself in slavery to release a local widow's son, returned by boat from Africa. Eight tradesmen representing the town greeted him by strewing flowers at his feet. Currently the eight "gigli" (lilies) and the "Barca" (boat) recall this welcome home celebration for San Paolino, patron saint of Nola.

The "gigli" are wooden obelisks resembling lilies and ornated by paper-mâché artists. They are nearly 25 meters high.

It takes 120 men named "cullatori" (lullers) to carry each "giglio" with a band playing on it at the same time that the "cullatori" lulls the obelisk through the streets and the Piazza Duomo. Each group of "cullatori" is called "paranza".

Each "giglio" takes its name from the ancient guilds of arts and works.

The men who carry the "gigli" every year have calluses on their backs from bearing the weight of the obelisks. The calluses are shown with pride since it is a great honor to carry a "giglio".

The Feast of the Lilies boasts official recognition of UNESCO as intangible heritage of humanity.

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The Feast of the Lilies

San Domenico is the patron saint of Cocullo and protecter against tooth eache and bites.

The rite begins in March, when the "serpari" (snake catchers) catch wild snakes in the surrounding woods.

At midday the procession begins. The "serpari" place their snakes on the wooden statue of San Domenico after it was taken out of the church.

The "serpari" catch mainly four types of local harmless snakes: four-lined, aesculapian, grass and green whip snakes.

The statue of San Domenico is carried in procession through the streets of the medieval village.

After the patron saint celebration, the snakes are released out into the wild.

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The Rite of the "Serpari"

During the night of Holy Thursday to Good Friday the "vattienti"(the flagellants) meet in a "catojo"(old wine cellar) and they have dinner together.

The Rite of the First Blood: the "vattienti" beat their thighs with their hands. Then they hit their thighs with a "cardillo" (a cork cylinder with attached an odd number of glass pieces). The "vattienti" leave the "catojo" as a group but every "vattiente" has his own path.

The "vattienti" wear red clothes: shirt and shorts to leave their thighs uncovered. They walk barefoot.

The flagellants' legs are cleaned with wine to prevent infection.

People attend the rite in absolute silence.

The "vattienti" leave bloody hand prints on selected walls around the village.

Once the "vattienti" have run around the village for three times they wash off the blood in an ancient public fountain.

The Catholic Church has always expressed negative judgements on the "vattienti" and they are not allowed to enter into holy places.

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The Rite of the "Vattienti"

The barefooted racers climb the hill to the starting line.

Racers wait at the "Pietra Spaccata" (the starting line).

At the first tolling of the bell, the barefooted racers run down the impervious hillside, cross the river Vella and climb up again. They reach the historical centre of the village through a hard path that leads to the church of the Madonna di Loreto (the finish line).

Racers receive medical treatment inside the church if necessary.

"Gipsy" means "the one who walks barefoot" in the local dialect.

The winner is carried in triumph through the streets of the village and receive the prize (a piece of cloth enough for a suit).

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The Barefoot Race of the "Gypsies"

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