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Deformed for their faith: The brave 'cullatori' who

suffer horrific calluses for the honour of carrying
2,000lb structures as part of Italian religious
festival
Festival of Lilies sees men carry huge wooden structures on their shoulders
Children and musicians climb on top of platforms, making them even heavier
Giant calluses on men's shoulders are displayed to show religious devotion
Event takes place every June in town of Nola, near Naples in southern Italy
120 locals take part in the annual parade, which is dedicated to a local saint
This year the Festival of Lilies was granted UNESCO protection status
By John Hall

Published: 11:16 GMT, 28 July 2014 | Updated: 14:30 GMT, 28 July 2014

Every year in the town of Nola, near Naples in southern Italy, hundreds of devout men willingly deform their bodies
in the name of their religion.
The annual Festa dei Gigli, or Festival of Lilies, attracts thousands of visitors - many of whom come purely to
watch local men carry eight 82 foot structures weighing 2,000lbs around the town.
The massive effort leaves them the men with horrific calluses on their shoulders - but far from hiding them away,
the men show off their injuries as a symbol of their sacrifice and religious devotion.
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Painful: Although deform ing yourself in the nam e of religion m ay seem odd, the
Festival of Lilies has been taking place in Nola, near Naples in southern Italy, for
m ore than 1,500 years

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Strong: The 120 local m en w ho take part in the annual parade are know n cullatori -
w hich m eans 'cradlers'
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Struggle: To m ake m atters w orse, local children and m usicians clim b on top of the
handcrafted platform s as they are transported through the narrow back streets to
Piazza del Duom o in the centre of Nola
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Lining up: The Festival of Lilies alw ays starts on the last Sunday before June 22nd
and lasts seven days

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Crow ds: The annual Festa dei Gigli, or Festival of Lilies, attracts thousands of
visitors - m any of w hom com e purely to w atch local m en carry eight 82 foot
structures w eighing 2,000lbs around the tow n

Although deforming yourself in the name of religion may seem odd, the ceremony has been taking place in Nola
for more than 1,500 years.
The men who take part in the June parade even have a name, cullatori - which means 'cradlers'.
The Festival of Lilies is dedicated to Saint Paulinus, who tradition states gave up his freedom and all his
possessions to save the citizens of Nola during the Visigoth invasion of 410AD.
A festival celebrating Saint Paulinus' sacrifice is believed to have been held the same year, and proved so
popular that it has continued for each of the subsequent 1,604 years.
This year the Festival of Lilies was finally given UNESCO protection status - meaning organisers now receive a
small amount of money from the UN every year to ensure the tradition never dies out.

See incredible strength of the Cullatori at the Festa dei Gigli

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Pride: The huge effort leaves those taking part in the cerem ony w ith horrific
calluses on their shoulders. But far from hiding them aw ay, the m en show off their
injuries as a sym bol of their sacrifice and religious devotion

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Motivation: Know n as gigli - or lilies - the giant structures are carried to the sound of
both religious m usic and traditional Neapolitan folk songs
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Devout: The Festival of Lilies is dedicated to Saint Paulinus, w ho tradition states gave
up his freedom and all his possessions to save the citizens of Nola during the
Visigoth invasion of 410AD
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Feeling the strain: Unlike m any religious celebrations held in rural Italy, the tradition
show s no sign of dying out. Record-breaking num bers of young locals apply to
becom e one of the 120 cullatori each year
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Old and young: A festival celebrating Saint Paulinus' sacrifice is believed to have
been first held in 410AD, and proved so popular that it has continued for each of the
subsequent 1,604 years
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Masses: Thousands of tourists travel to Nola every June to w atch the event and to
cheer on the brave cullatori

The huge wooden structures the men carry as they take part in the parade each weigh 2,000lbs and are 82 foot
long.
Known as gigli - or lilies - the giant structures are carried to the sound of both religious music and traditional
Neapolitan folk songs.
To make matters worse, locals children and musicians climb on top of them as the handcrafted platforms are
transported through the narrow back streets to Piazza del Duomo in the centre of Nola.
Esteemed photographer Antonio Busiello captured the striking images of the cullatori - with one of his images
winning the gold medal for the Royal Photographic Society Print Exhibition in 2013.
Chair of the selectors Ray Spence said the image raises 'valid and contemporary questions about body image'.
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Great im ages: Esteem ed photographer Antonio Busiello captured the striking
im ages of the injured cullatori

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Devotion: Antonio Busiello says he is proud to have taken his aw ard-w inning
photographs and says he adm ires the cullatori's lack of vanity
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Build: The huge w ooden structures each w eigh a staggering 2,000lbs and are 82 foot
long
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Major event: Team s of experts take several w eeks to build the m assive w ooden
structures every year

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Status: This year the Festival of Lilies w as finally given UNESCO protection - m eaning
organisers now receive a sm all am ount of m oney from the UN every year to ensure
the tradition never dies out
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Parade: Although the cerem ony celebrates the cullatori's strength and endurance,
locals are eager not to forget that the Festival of Lilies is prim arily a religious event,
dedicated to the patron saint of the tow n

Busiello says he is proud to have taken the award-winning images of the cullatori, and says he admires their lack
of vanity.
In an age where so many many of us are obsessed with looks and perfecting ourselves, the cullatori are happy to
deform themselves for the sake of religion and tradition, he says.
'I was impressed by how proudly, despite the beauty standards of our time, they wear their huge calluses as
symbols of their sacrifice and devotion to Saint Paulinus,' Busiello added.
The Festival of Lilies always starts on the last Sunday before June 22nd and lasts seven days.
Unlike many religious celebrations held in rural Italy, the tradition shows no sign of dying out.
Along with the new financial backing from UNESCO, record-breaking numbers of young locals apply to become
one of the 120 cullatori each year.

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