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  • Image from exhibition of Cocullo snake festival

Cocullo snake festival

Italy is famous for its religious festivals and one of the most bizarre is undoubtedly the Cocullo snake festival.

Driving along the A25 from Rome to Pescara in Abruzzo we passed a road sign Cocullo, and even though it was a cold, rainy day in the mountains and we had to drive uphill and backwards I insisted on stopping. A tiny village famous for a festival celebrating San Domenico in a sea of live snakes is simply too weird to be missed, so we pulled up outside the local police station and took a look around.

Cocullo snake festival

The town of Cocullo on a drizzly spring day

Protection from the Wild

None of the 285 villagers ventured out, so we had the main square to ourselves. Hard to imagine that thousands of people from all over the world gather here on the first Thursday in May to witness the annual procession in celebration of the village saint who is carried through the streets covered in creepy, crawly snakes.

Luckily there were no snakes to be seen, but a ‘Mostra Permanente’ and after banging the doors and trying the phone number, we found a civil servant in the mayor’s office willing to show us the exhibition. It was mainly a collection of photographs, but she explained that San Domenico Sorana was a Benedictine monk with the ability to cure and protect believers from storms, fevers, rabies and the bites of wild or poisonous animals. He also performed numerous miracles, such as telling a wolf to return an abducted infant to the mother, making newly sowed fava beans bloom and multiplying grains for flour. In consequence, he still had a great many worshippers among the locals.

Cocullo snake festival

The procession departs from the tiny church. To the right there are photos from the Cocullo snake festival exhibition.

A Coat of Snakes

Why these virtues should be rewarded by a coat of snakes remained unclear, but we were told that locals scoured the countryside for snakes in the months up to the procession, so their numbers varied from one year to the next. Among the snakes, there were generally three species represented. And that they were only mildly poisonous.

“No one has died yet”, as the woman said. But at this point she was clearly getting tired of answering the same questions people from Cocullo always hear from outsiders, so she left us to study the photos alone and close the door on the way out.

Obviously, the fascination and dramatic appeal of the snake festival is not as great for the locals of Cocullo as it is for me and other foreigners.

Other religious anecdotes and manifestations like the Cocullo snake festival

Perugia satellites – Signals from heaven

San Pietro in Bevagna: A divine beach in Puglia

Epiphany in Italy and La Befana – the generous witch

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31 replies
  1. Leigh
    Leigh says:
    June 22, 2013 at 1:42 am

    I will never be visiting that place in May!! I can’t imagine being covered with snakes. And who get’s the fun job of collecting them??

    Reply
    • admin
      admin says:
      June 23, 2013 at 11:30 am

      I think the locals do all the snake handling (before, during and after). But I would check under my bed an extra time before accepting a room in Cocullo in May.

      Reply
  2. Maria
    Maria says:
    June 22, 2013 at 11:27 pm

    Wow – not at all what I’d expect to find in such a quaint/picturesque place. :-)

    Reply
    • admin
      admin says:
      June 23, 2013 at 11:29 am

      No, it is quite surprising that these traditions have survived for so long.

      Reply
  3. Salika Jay
    Salika Jay says:
    June 27, 2013 at 8:30 am

    Oh god, that picture alone was enough for me to get goose bumps. That being said, it’s interesting to hear about a snake festival.

    Reply
    • admin
      admin says:
      July 1, 2013 at 11:52 am

      Yes, and I’m not a great fan of snakes either.

      Reply
  4. Sophie
    Sophie says:
    July 4, 2013 at 11:34 am

    I don’t mind snakes as long as they’re at a distance. Funny how Italians seem to have a festival for everything under the sun.

    Reply
    • admin
      admin says:
      July 4, 2013 at 4:35 pm

      Yes, I just missed a ‘sagra di polpette’ here last week. Would have love to participate in what we Danes would call a ‘frikadellefest’.

      Reply
  5. Opus T. Penguin
    Opus T. Penguin says:
    July 5, 2013 at 3:18 pm

    How about… NO!

    Reply
    • admin
      admin says:
      July 9, 2013 at 3:17 pm

      Great response that can be uttered as you run:)

      Reply
  6. Brendan Monroe
    Brendan Monroe says:
    July 6, 2013 at 12:18 am

    Cannot believe I missed that! Your account of it all makes this town, at this time, sound like a cross between an Indiana Jones movie and something by Franz Kafka. Wild!

    Reply
    • admin
      admin says:
      July 9, 2013 at 3:19 pm

      If that’s the case I may have stirred in too much imagination. Apart from the snake festival the town is Ohh so quiet:)

      Reply
  7. Danni
    Danni says:
    July 8, 2013 at 7:10 pm

    Oooh snakes are NOT my thing. Even though I think actually seeing this festival take place would be pretty incredible, you can be sure I’d be staying at least a few rows back in the crowd. I’d like to keep my distance from the snakes please and thank you.

    Reply
    • admin
      admin says:
      July 9, 2013 at 3:28 pm

      Not my thing either – although we have one that left its ‘shirt’ in the driveway a few days ago.

      Reply
  8. Mary {The World Is A Book}
    Mary {The World Is A Book} says:
    July 14, 2013 at 11:15 pm

    This was so interesting and yet so cool and bizarre. I’m not very fond of snakes but would have stopped here too. It may be great to go in May but from a very distant place to see the festivities. “Mildly poisonous” is enough to make me think twice of getting too close. Glad you guys got see the exhibits.

    Reply
    • admin
      admin says:
      July 16, 2013 at 3:26 pm

      Cocullo spreads over a rather small hill top so though a good strategy keeping your distance could be problematic;)

      Reply
  9. Adri
    Adri says:
    July 16, 2013 at 2:53 pm

    The old ways live, don’t they? I think it is wonderful that festivals like this continue. Your photographs , especially that first one, are wonderful.

    My grandfather was born in Montesilvano, Pescara. I am sure he must have attended this festival as a youth, but I do not recall his ever having spoken of it. I was quite fearful of snakes when I was a kid. My brother, on the other hand, kept them as pets. He even had one he called “Joe.” Oh my!

    Reply
    • admin
      admin says:
      July 16, 2013 at 3:33 pm

      Strange indeed – as are the ways strange affect us people.

      Reply
  10. Louisa @ My Family & Abruzzo
    Louisa @ My Family & Abruzzo says:
    July 17, 2013 at 8:02 am

    They also have a snake festival in Pretoro where the organisers walk up to the crowd and wrap a snake around them….I’m usually running at that point. : )

    Reply
    • admin
      admin says:
      July 17, 2013 at 3:28 pm

      I didn’t know that, but I’m going to Chieti tomorrow and might have time to take a look around. Thanks for the tip.

      Reply
  11. memographer
    memographer says:
    July 30, 2013 at 1:26 pm

    Very interesting post. Thanks for sharing! But, now I am not going to Cocullo… No, thank you!

    Reply
    • admin
      admin says:
      July 30, 2013 at 7:56 pm

      I’d have thought you’d be immune to wild animals by now.

      Reply
    • admin
      admin says:
      July 30, 2013 at 7:56 pm

      I’d have thought you’d be immune to wild animals by now.

      Reply
    • memographer
      memographer says:
      August 2, 2013 at 12:29 am

      I am. But, not to the SNAKES!!!!!!!!!!!! :)

      Reply
  12. Patti
    Patti says:
    July 31, 2013 at 9:32 pm

    Absolutely terrified of snakes so I think I’ll have to pass on this festival!

    Reply
    • admin
      admin says:
      August 5, 2013 at 5:09 pm

      Understandably – and there are so many alternative festivals to choose from. Like for instance the cheese rolling festival in San Valentino.

      Reply
  13. Patti
    Patti says:
    August 5, 2013 at 6:54 pm

    Now a cheese festival – count me in!

    Reply
  14. Sand in my Suitcase
    Sand in my Suitcase says:
    August 7, 2013 at 10:21 pm

    Ummm. Don’t think we’ll go to Cocullo for the snake festival… But we’d visit Italy again for its food and wine!

    Reply
    • admin
      admin says:
      August 8, 2013 at 5:17 pm

      I’m sure you can have both snake festival and the famous Italian food and wine in one go:)

      Reply
  15. Laurel
    Laurel says:
    August 23, 2013 at 4:44 pm

    I love festivals but this is one I’ll be skipping – I’m petrified of snakes, especially snakes on the loose!

    Reply
    • admin
      admin says:
      August 25, 2013 at 10:41 am

      And I thought you loved all kinds of animals, Laurel:)

      Reply

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