Cocullo, the festival of snakes

Cocullo - Among the many patronal feasts that enrich the Italian cultural heritage, there is also the feast that is celebrated in Cucullo in honor of San Domenico, patron saint from snake bites. Cucullo is a small town in Abruzzo, province of L'Aquila, located at 897 meters above sea level and with just 222 inhabitants. The rite has very ancient pagan origins, but today the festival moves on the border between the sacred and the profane.

The absolute protagonists of the event are obviously the snakes that are captured by the hundreds in the Cucullo fields in the months preceding the party. There are various species: thunderbolt, natrice, rat snake, the smallest but also the most aggressive and biting. However, all are free of poison and therefore harmless to humans. The culminating moment of the event occurs at the end of the mass, when the serpari envelop the statue of the saint with the reptiles, which in a few moments envelop him entirely, thus starting the procession. The procession is attended by faithful, authorities and visitors animated by a lot of curiosity. It is a great opportunity to give visibility to Cucullo. The festival is celebrated on the first of May and recognition as a protected asset by UNESCO is expected.