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 "serpari" catch mainly four types of local harmless snakes: four-lined, aesculapian, grass and green whip snakes.
The "vattienti" wear red clothes: shirt and shorts to leave their thighs uncovered. They walk barefoot.
The statue of San Domenico is carried in procession through the streets of the medieval village.
The flagellants' legs are cleaned with wine to prevent infection.
After the patron saint celebration, the snakes are released out into the wild.
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.
Once the "vattienti" have run around the village for three times they wash off the blood in an ancient public fountain.