A beater walks during a religious procession in Guardia Sanframondi, south Italy, August 24, 2003....

A beater walks during a religious procession in Guardia Sanframondi, south Italy, August 24, 2003. Every seven years people of Guardia Sanframondi, a little town in South Italy, hold a religious feast in which hundreds of hooded penitents, dressed with white habits, gather to liven up a procession to honour Virgin Assunta whippig themselves with iron chains and another tool called 'sponge', a nailed cork piece with which hit their chests. [A lot of not-hooded women take part in the procession only for cauterize the wounds with vinegar so that the penitents don't feel pain. All the penitents hold a little crucifix in their left hand helping them during the meditation, prayer and pain. They pray the Madonna for drought, bad weather, earthquakes and other personal reasons.]