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Masked teenagers chase children in centuries-old Spanish festival

  • A reveller, dressed as a "Zarramache", chases a group of young girls during celebrations to mark Saint Blaise festivity in Casavieja, Spain February 3, 2017. REUTERS/Sergio Perez
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    A reveller, dressed as a "Zarramache", chases a group of young girls during celebrations to mark Saint Blaise festivity in Casavieja

    A reveller, dressed as a "Zarramache", chases a group of young girls during celebrations to mark Saint Blaise festivity in Casavieja, Spain February 3, 2017. REUTERS/Sergio Perez
    Reuters
  • Revellers, dressed as "Zarramaches", pose inside the city hall during celebrations to mark Saint Blaise's festivity in Casavieja, Spain February 3, 2017. REUTERS/Sergio Perez
    2/10

    Revellers, dressed as "Zarramaches", pose inside the city hall during celebrations to mark Saint Blaise's festivity in Casavieja

    Revellers, dressed as "Zarramaches", pose inside the city hall during celebrations to mark Saint Blaise's festivity in Casavieja, Spain February 3, 2017. REUTERS/Sergio Perez
    Reuters
  • Revellers, dressed as "Zarramaches", walk through the streets during celebrations to mark Saint Blaise's festivity in Casavieja, Spain February 3, 2017. REUTERS/Sergio Perez
    3/10

    Revellers, dressed as "Zarramaches", walk through the streets during celebrations to mark Saint Blaise's festivity in Casavieja

    Revellers, dressed as "Zarramaches", walk through the streets during celebrations to mark Saint Blaise's festivity in Casavieja, Spain February 3, 2017. REUTERS/Sergio Perez
    Reuters
  • Revellers are helped to be dressed as "Zarramaches" inside the city hall during celebrations to mark Saint Blaise's festivity in Casavieja, Spain February 3, 2017. REUTERS/Sergio Perez
    4/10

    Revellers are helped to be dressed as "Zarramaches" inside the city hall during celebrations to mark Saint Blaise's festivity in Casavieja

    Revellers are helped to be dressed as "Zarramaches" inside the city hall during celebrations to mark Saint Blaise's festivity in Casavieja, Spain February 3, 2017. REUTERS/Sergio Perez
    Reuters
  • Revellers, dressed as "Zarramache", walk through the streets during celebrations to mark Saint Blaise's festivity in Casavieja, Spain February 3, 2017. REUTERS/Sergio Perez
    5/10

    Revellers, dressed as "Zarramache", walk through the streets during celebrations to mark Saint Blaise's festivity in Casavieja

    Revellers, dressed as "Zarramache", walk through the streets during celebrations to mark Saint Blaise's festivity in Casavieja, Spain February 3, 2017. REUTERS/Sergio Perez
    Reuters
  • Revellers, dressed as "Zarramache", stand inside a local church at the end of a mass during celebrations to mark Saint Blaise's festivity in Casavieja, Spain February 3, 2017. REUTERS/Sergio Perez
    6/10

    Revellers, dressed as "Zarramache", stand inside a local church at the end of a mass during celebrations to mark Saint Blaise's festivity in Casavieja

    Revellers, dressed as "Zarramache", stand inside a local church at the end of a mass during celebrations to mark Saint Blaise's festivity in Casavieja, Spain February 3, 2017. REUTERS/Sergio Perez
    Reuters
  • A reveller, dressed as "Zarramache", walks through the streets during celebrations to mark Saint Blaise's festivity in Casavieja, Spain February 3, 2017. REUTERS/Sergio Perez
    7/10

    A reveller, dressed as "Zarramache", walks through the streets during celebrations to mark Saint Blaise's festivity in Casavieja

    A reveller, dressed as "Zarramache", walks through the streets during celebrations to mark Saint Blaise's festivity in Casavieja, Spain February 3, 2017. REUTERS/Sergio Perez
    Reuters
  • Revellers, dressed as "Zarramache", pose outside the local church during celebrations to mark Saint Blaise's festivity in Casavieja, Spain February 3, 2017. REUTERS/Sergio Perez
    8/10

    Revellers, dressed as "Zarramache", pose outside the local church during celebrations to mark Saint Blaise's festivity in Casavieja

    Revellers, dressed as "Zarramache", pose outside the local church during celebrations to mark Saint Blaise's festivity in Casavieja, Spain February 3, 2017. REUTERS/Sergio Perez
    Reuters
  • A reveller, dressed as "Zarramache", poses during celebrations to mark Saint Blaise's festivity in Casavieja, Spain February 3, 2017. REUTERS/Sergio Perez
    9/10

    A reveller, dressed as "Zarramache", poses during celebrations to mark Saint Blaise's festivity in Casavieja

    A reveller, dressed as "Zarramache", poses during celebrations to mark Saint Blaise's festivity in Casavieja, Spain February 3, 2017. REUTERS/Sergio Perez
    Reuters
  • A reveller, dressed as "Zarramache", leaves the city hall during celebrations to mark Saint Blaise's festivity in Casavieja, Spain February 3, 2017. REUTERS/Sergio Perez
    10/10

    A reveller, dressed as "Zarramache", leaves the city hall during celebrations to mark Saint Blaise's festivity in Casavieja

    A reveller, dressed as "Zarramache", leaves the city hall during celebrations to mark Saint Blaise's festivity in Casavieja, Spain February 3, 2017. REUTERS/Sergio Perez
    Reuters
A reveller, dressed as a "Zarramache", chases a group of young girls during celebrations to mark Saint Blaise festivity in Casavieja, Spain February 3, 2017. REUTERS/Sergio Perez
Revellers, dressed as "Zarramaches", pose inside the city hall during celebrations to mark Saint Blaise's festivity in Casavieja, Spain February 3, 2017. REUTERS/Sergio Perez
Revellers, dressed as "Zarramaches", walk through the streets during celebrations to mark Saint Blaise's festivity in Casavieja, Spain February 3, 2017. REUTERS/Sergio Perez
Revellers are helped to be dressed as "Zarramaches" inside the city hall during celebrations to mark Saint Blaise's festivity in Casavieja, Spain February 3, 2017. REUTERS/Sergio Perez
Revellers, dressed as "Zarramache", walk through the streets during celebrations to mark Saint Blaise's festivity in Casavieja, Spain February 3, 2017. REUTERS/Sergio Perez
Revellers, dressed as "Zarramache", stand inside a local church at the end of a mass during celebrations to mark Saint Blaise's festivity in Casavieja, Spain February 3, 2017. REUTERS/Sergio Perez
A reveller, dressed as "Zarramache", walks through the streets during celebrations to mark Saint Blaise's festivity in Casavieja, Spain February 3, 2017. REUTERS/Sergio Perez
Revellers, dressed as "Zarramache", pose outside the local church during celebrations to mark Saint Blaise's festivity in Casavieja, Spain February 3, 2017. REUTERS/Sergio Perez
A reveller, dressed as "Zarramache", poses during celebrations to mark Saint Blaise's festivity in Casavieja, Spain February 3, 2017. REUTERS/Sergio Perez
A reveller, dressed as "Zarramache", leaves the city hall during celebrations to mark Saint Blaise's festivity in Casavieja, Spain February 3, 2017. REUTERS/Sergio Perez
Reuters

MADRID (Reuters) - Spain's village of Casavieja observed its annual celebration of Saint Blaise on Friday, where masked 18-year-olds dress as "zarramaches", a reference to their outlandish costumes topped by a multicoloured conical hat. Teenagers gather at the central Spanish village's town hall, dressed in white robes, straw mats and cowbells, before parading through the streets brandishing wooden sticks and oranges and chasing younger children. The origins behind the folk tradition that dates back centuries are unclear with some suggesting that the jangles of cowbells serve to purify the village. (Reporting by Amanda Calvo; Editing by Sonya Dowsett)