L'Italo-Americano

THURSDAY, MAY 18, 2023 www.italoamericano.org 20 L'Italo-Americano C o c u l l o i s a s m a l l , p i c - turesque village l o c a t e d i n t h e h e a r t o f t h e Apennine Mountains in the L'Aquila province of Abruz- zo. Usually, life goes on qui- etly, following the gentle and ancient rhythm of nature all year, but things get more exciting every May, when Cocullo's famous Festa dei S e r p a r i , o r f e a s t o f t h e snake handlers, takes place. The village is famous for this unique celebration in honor of San Domenico A b a t e , C o c u l l o ' s p a t r o n saint, which is marked by a procession of serpent han- dlers known as i serpari. For centuries, the feast of San Domenico Abate has been an important event for the peo- ple of Cocullo: according to legend, Domenico, a monk who lived in the region dur- ing the 10th century, was known for his ability to cure people of snake bites, and, after his death, the villagers of Cocullo began to honor him as their patron saint and to seek in him protection from snake bites. Legend has it, in fact, that the villagers of Cocullo began to bring live snakes to his shrine as an offering. And it is from this original devotion that the tradition of serpari was born, proba- b l y s o m e t i m e i n t h e 1 4 t h century. Over time, the prac- tice of bringing snakes as a n e x v o t o f o r t h e s a i n t evolved into a procession led by snake handlers, the ser- p a r i , w h o c a r r i e d t h e m through the village in a dis- play of their faith and wor- ship. Today, the serpari are a unique group of individu- als who have been trained in the art of handling snakes, and they are responsible for capturing and caring for the animals used in the proces- sion in the weeks before the celebrations. The search and capture of the snakes begin towards the end of March when the snow surrounding the village starts to disap- pear, and serpari venture into the woods in search of selected species of non-ven- omous reptiles like collar snakes, Aesculapian snakes, s m o o t h s n a k e s , o r w h i p snakes. They carefully collect them and place them in spe- cial wooden boxes, where they live until the day of the ceremony, cared for and fed - usually live mice and hard- b o i l e d e g g s - b y t h e s e r p a r i t h e m s e l v e s . S n a k e s a r e c o n s i d e r e d a symbol of good luck and are treated with love and care b y t h e i r h a n d l e r s , w h o release them into their nat- u r a l h a b i t a t , i n t h e a r e a where they had been cap- tured, shortly after the pro- cession is over. Of course, working with wild snakes implies some r i s k s , b u t t h e v i l l a g e h a s taken steps to ensure the safety of all involved from, as we have seen, the snakes, to their handlers and the public: serpari receive train- ing on how to handle snakes carefully and with respect, w h i l e t h e p r o c e s s i o n i s closely monitored by local authorities to ensure that it i s c o n d u c t e d s a f e l y a n d responsibly. But the figure of the ser- paro in itself wasn't born with this peculiar tradition, as they were a local fixture already in the late Middle Ages. Indeed, we can find their origin in the ciarallo, a sacred figure deeply root- ed in southern Italy in those times, known for his skills in c a p t u r i n g a n d h a n d l i n g snakes. During the procession, the snakes are placed on the statue of San Domenico, but n o t i n f r o n t o f i t s f a c e : according to an old saying, if the snakes were to cover it, it would be a bad omen. On the day of the procession, t h e s e r p a r i g a t h e r a t t h e s h r i n e o f S a n D o m e n i c o Abate, where they receive a b l e s s i n g f r o m t h e l o c a l priest. They then begin the procession through the vil- lage dressed in traditional clothing, the snakes in their hands or wrapped around their necks, creating a color- ful and vibrant display, all while villagers come out to watch the procession and to offer prayers and blessings of their own. The tradition of the ser- pari remains an important part of the cultural heritage of Cocullo. For the villagers, it is a way to honor their patron saint and celebrate their faith and devotion. For visitors, it is a unique and u n f o r g e t t a b l e e x p e r i e n c e that offers a glimpse into the rich history and traditions of the region. Only a couple of w e e k s a g o , t h o u s a n d s o f people — organizers esti- mate they were around six thousand — braved the bad weather on May 1st to gath- er in this little Valle Sagi- t a r i o t o w n a n d e n j o y t h e e x p e r i e n c e . T h i s y e a r ' s anomalous season made it m o r e c h a l l e n g i n g f o r the serpari to collect and capture snakes, but all went well in the end. "On May Day (when the feast takes place), Cocullo becomes like a state capital " Mayor San- dro Chioccio noted. He also took the occasion to a n n o u n c e t h e o n g o i n g p r o c e s s f o r t h e t o w n ' s UNESCO candidature. The President of the Region of Abruzzo, Marco Marsilio, w h o w a s p r e s e n t f o r t h e occasion, said that the Festa d e i s e r p a r i i s " a n e v e n t known all over the world and a great showcase for Abruzzo." In addition to the proces- sion of the serpari, the feast of San Domenico Abate is also marked by a variety of other activities: the village is f i l l e d w i t h f o o d v e n d o r s , musicians, and dancers that create a festive and lively atmosphere. Visitors can s a m p l e l o c a l s p e c i a l t i e s like arrosticini, a skewered lamb dish that is a specialty o f t h e r e g i o n , o r e n j o y a glass of local wine while tak- ing in the sights and sounds of the celebration. Cocullo, the medieval town where snakes are kings CHIARA D'ALESSIO San Domenico's statue and its snakes (Photo: Camillogranchelli/Dreamstime) ALL AROUND ITALY TRAVEL TIPS DESTINATIONS ACTIVITIES

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