CORRESPONDENCE.
Holy Week Observance in the Abruzzi. (Vol. vi. p. 57)
I AVAIL myself of this opportunity to ask you to contradict a statement made by the Rev. W. Pullen, mentioned in Folk-Lore, and repeated in the The Elevation and Procession of the Ceri at Gubbio. Knowing every corner of the Abruzzi, I venture to affirm that Canon Pullen must have been grossly deceived. In every village and country place I have intimate friends who have never concealed from me any even of the strangest practices and the least consonant with civilisation (civilta). But the practice of voluntary human sacrifice in Holy Week in a village of the Abruzzi has astonished all who have heard it spoken of, and roused in- dignation or a smile of pity.
Having inquired of Canon Pullen the name of the village, he answered that it was Gioia del Colle. Now this commune is in the province of Pari. It is not a village at all ; it is a large market town of about 20,000 inhabitants. How is it possible that two homicides can be repeated every year in Holy Week and remain unknown to a self-respecting government ? Is the popula- tion of Gioia del Colle a population of Calmucks? Would a passing foreign traveller be likely to learn more about the matter than people of the place who occupy themselves with the same studies ? But the communications I have had from Gioia del Colle express the utmost astonishment, and entirely deny the alleged facts. I shall accordingly take further steps to contradict it in our own reviews ; but I should be glad if the contradiction were to emanate in the first place from the Folk-Lore Society, which has given credit in good faith to a silly tale. If, therefore, you will so far favour me I shall be grateful.
Antonio de Nino.
Sulmono,
3 rd September^ 1897.
[The foregoing is the substance of a letter from Signer de Nino, whose admirable collection of Usi e Costumi Abruzzesi is well known to every student of Italian folklore. — Ed.]
