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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.

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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.

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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.

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

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

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People attend the rite in absolute silence.

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

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

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

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