Masked Croatian Bell-Ringers Try to Drive Out Coronavirus With Noise

Every year, an association of bell-ringers parades through villages in Croatia, wearing animal masks and making a lot of noise. The tradition dates back to at least the 19th century. The bell-ringers say the ritual is meant to bring forward the summer, and drive away evil spirits. And that means driving out the Coronavirus, too. Usually the ringing groups are bigger and will draw crowds, but this year, they’re playing it safe.