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| Pilgrims beat themselves in Italy's Guardia Sanframondi procession
ROME, Aug 24 (AFP) - Nearly 4,000 pilgrims beat themselves with thorn-covered sponges until they drew blood on Sunday, while thousands more watched on, as a ritual procession wound its way through the medieval town of Guardia Sanframondi, east of Naples. Stripped to the waist, their faces masked by white hoods, the flagellants chanted hymns as they scourged themselves, some of re-enacting scenes from the Bible or quoting sacred texts. Serious & personalized business, investment and technology intelligence for a serious advantage - BizVantage! Held once every seven years, the religious procession originated as peninential exercises in the 17th century, to ward off wars and famine. But the ritual has its roots in the fanatical and heretical Flagellant sect that flourished even earlier. In those days, the penance continued for 33 days, with pilgrims beating themselves with leather thongs till the blood ran. Unmindful of the weather, they prostrated themselves before the altars of churches that they entered along the way. About 150,000 people watched this year's procession start at four different bell towers and wind its way through the town's narrow cobbled streets, the organisers said. Ignoring the pilgrims' attempts to stop them, thousands of spectators filmed and photographed the event. Another group of penitents called "disciplines" beat their shoulders with small iron chains, clutching a crucifix or an image of the Virgin Mary in their hands. Senior local official Antonio Bassolini announced a grant of 400,000 euros (436,000 dollars) to establish a museum devoted to the ritual. He said the procession was a "rite of collective identification" as much as it was a unique and ancient religious custom. clr/shs/lmf Italy-religion-tradition
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