VOA标准英语2010年-Thousands Join Italian Self-Punishment

Christian¹ penitents² known locally as "Battenti" beas themselves during a procession in honor of the Virgin³ Mary in Guardia Sanframondi, near Benevento south of Italy, on August 22, 2010.

Hundreds of thousands turned out for the final procession of a traditional penitential rite⁴ that takes place in the southern Italian town of Guardia Sanframondi every seven years.  It is the largest self-punishment rite in the Western world. 

 

From the early hours in the morning, tens of thousands of people gathered in the southern Italian town of Guardia Sanframondi.  They wanted front row seats for the final procession dedicated⁵ to the Our Lady of the Assumption.

As temperatures soared on a very hot Sunday in August, there were a number of people who had to be medically assisted or taken away after suffering heat stroke.

During the so-called Day of Blood, more than 1,000 Christian men dressed in white and wearing hoods⁶ to hide their identifies beat their chests and strike their backs with spiked⁷ metal instruments.  The rite honors the discovery of a Madonna and Child statue in a field hundreds of years ago.

One woman said its an extremely intimate gesture and that is why hoods are worn, because it is something between the person involved and the Virgin Mary.  She said it is "our personal thing, inside, which does not need to be shown outside."

Participants believe they can reconcile their sin with God.

Guardia Sanframondi's penitential rite is the largest of its in the Western world and takes place here every seven years.  Many have criticized it for being violent, but locals feel differently.

A local man told VOA it means so much for the people here and it is beautiful, exciting.  He says there are no words to describe it because it is enough to see the people, how they think and what they feel.

Guardia Sanframondi Mayor Floriano Panza said this is a rite that has gone on for centuries and everyone in the town joins in. He said that here there are thousands of people who take on a role with great passion.  For many of them it is a religious passion, for others it is a human and civil passion, taking part in the rite of a community.  He says it is their identity.

Despite the blood, those who take part in the procession say they feel no pain, only happiness.  Participants do not want to discuss their feelings.  They say it is too personal.  They also do not want people to interfere⁸ in what they have chosen to do.  For them it is all about renewal⁹ and purification of the soul.

Father Filippo is in charge of the town's Basilica of Our Lady of the Assumption. He said faith is of utmost importance, and without faith they would not have this rite every seven years in honor of the Virgin Mary.  It is a special relationship the people have with this Mother who was given to us by her Son as he died on the Cross.

The phenomenon continues to grow as more and more people take part in the penitential rite.  The next one will be in 2017.

 

1 Christian   

adj.基督教徒的；n.基督教徒

参考例句：

• They always addressed each other by their Christian name.他们总是以教名互相称呼。
• His mother is a sincere Christian.他母亲是个虔诚的基督教徒。

2 penitents   

n.后悔者( penitent的名词复数 )；忏悔者

参考例句：

3 virgin   

n.处女，未婚女子；adj.未经使用的；未经开发的

参考例句：

• Have you ever been to a virgin forest?你去过原始森林吗？
• There are vast expanses of virgin land in the remote regions.在边远地区有大片大片未开垦的土地。

4 rite   

n.典礼，惯例，习俗

参考例句：

• This festival descends from a religious rite.这个节日起源于宗教仪式。
• Most traditional societies have transition rites at puberty.大多数传统社会都为青春期的孩子举行成人礼。

5 dedicated   

adj.一心一意的；献身的；热诚的

参考例句：

• He dedicated his life to the cause of education.他献身于教育事业。
• His whole energies are dedicated to improve the design.他的全部精力都放在改进这项设计上了。

6 hoods   

n.兜帽( hood的名词复数 )；头巾；（汽车、童车等的）折合式车篷；汽车发动机罩v.兜帽( hood的第三人称单数 )；头巾；（汽车、童车等的）折合式车篷；汽车发动机罩

参考例句：

• Michael looked at the four hoods sitting in the kitchen. 迈克尔瞅了瞅坐在厨房里的四条汉子。 来自教父部分
• Eskimos wear hoods to keep their heads warm. 爱斯基摩人戴兜帽使头暖和。 来自辞典例句

7 spiked   

adj.有穗的；成锥形的；有尖顶的

参考例句：

• The editor spiked the story. 编辑删去了这篇报道。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• They wondered whether their drinks had been spiked. 他们有些疑惑自己的饮料里是否被偷偷搀了烈性酒。 来自辞典例句

8 interfere   

v.(in)干涉，干预；(with)妨碍，打扰

参考例句：

• If we interfere, it may do more harm than good.如果我们干预的话，可能弊多利少。
• When others interfere in the affair,it always makes troubles. 别人一卷入这一事件，棘手的事情就来了。

9 renewal   

adj.(契约)延期，续订，更新，复活，重来

参考例句：

• Her contract is coming up for renewal in the autumn.她的合同秋天就应该续签了。
• Easter eggs symbolize the renewal of life.复活蛋象征新生。