[UA] Umbrians in the know?

[Julia McCarrier]

The Umbrians were a pre-Roman group of people in Italy, one of three 
powerhouses (the other two were the Faliscans and the Samnites) who were the 
worshippers of the three.

Today in a small city called Gubbio in the modern-day region of Umbria 
throws an annual festival on May 15th honoring their patron saint.

As part of the ritual men carry a 600 pound wooden pillar over a mile,  and 
before they set off on the course they pour water over it and carry it 
around a well and a flag pole counter-clockwise three times.

As some fellow who lives there said "It's an emotional thing, not a rational 
thing.  It's a rite, and that's what makes it live."

The ceremony is derived from a ceremony to purify an army because killing 
was seen as impure, so the army as a whole participated and was cleansed.  
And an expert answers the question "why three?" with : "They do it three 
times because three is the percet number, a magic number."

So, what does this ritual do now?  Is it still used as a cleansing for the 
sins of the towns people accumulated over the last year?  Or is it now an 
appeasement to the ancient Gods, who they abandoned for Christianity?

I found all this in the January 2005 issue of National Geographic (the one 
called 'Why we Love Caffeine" if anyone wants to read the article)

Enjoy,
Julia who doesn't think of clever titles like Chris

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