ITALY HOLY WEEK

Battenti (Beaters) hit their legs with a “cardillo”(a cork with pieces of glass) during a procession through the streets of the town of Verbicaro, southern Italy, early Friday, April 6, 2007. The Procession, which takes place overnight between Holy Thursday and Holy Friday, dates back to the Middle Ages. The Battenti keep the cork in their mouth when they are not hitting their legs. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)