Blood Easter Ritual in Nocera Tirinese - Southern Italy

On the Saturday before Easter, in the little town of Nocera Tirinese in Calabria (Southern Italy), men perform a ritual of flagellation during which they offer their blood to Saint Mary, in remembrance of Jesus death.
The ritual takes place in the streets of the village: the statue of Saint Mary holding the dying Jesus is carried all around the village to the top of the hill. The statue is stopped in front of each door to leave her blessing to the household.
At the same time the penitents, dressed in black and followed by young boys in red, run around the village. They too stop at each door and church to flagellate and offer their blood. The penitents beat their legs with two round pieces of cork filled with glass splinters to provoke the bleeding and then leave blood marks on the walls of houses and churches.
The young boy dressed in red represents Jesus’ sacrifice for the salvation of mankind and he is always a family member of the penitent. A third man follows the penitent carrying wine to wash his wounds. Often, old women too come out of their houses to wash the wounds with their own wine, to thank the men for their sacrifice.
Many of these men offer their blood to Saint Mary to receive her grace and intercession for a miracle. Many flagellate for sick family members or friends hoping in a miraculous healing, or simply to thank the Virgin Mary for her grace and past miracles.
For a whole day the streets of the village are wet with blood and wine and saturated by the strong smell coming from the mix. The air filled with tension and whisper holds together crowds of people commenting on who has shed more blood, who’s doing it for what reason and who has received grace.
Many talk about the miracles of Saint Mary, and it’s clear they are devout to the statue itself as the manifestation of the Virgin. Many say that a gentle rain will come on Sunday to wash the blood from the streets. And on Sunday it rains.