COCULLO SNAKE CULT AIMS FOR UNESCO LISTING
The unique Festival of St. Domenico at the mountain village of Cocullo (L'Aquila, Abruzzo) has applied for inclusion in the UNESCO Intangible Heritage list.
The Festival, which dates back to prehistoric times and was originally in honour of the Great Mother goddess Angizia whose cult was observed by the ancient Osco-Umbri peoples of central Italy, and was adapted in the Christian era to the figure of St. Domenico the Abbot, healer and protector against snake bites.
The Festival, which is unique in Italy, is held each year on the 1st of May and involves the capture of dozens of snakes by expert “serpari” (snake catchers) from the surrounding mountains and hillsides. These are then draped alive over the statue of the saint and carried in procession all over the village. When the festival is over, they are released back into the wild.
Cocullo is situated at 870 asl. in the Apennines mountains and has a fixed population of only 300 inhabitants, who are, however, determined to keep their ancient traditions alive. The local authorities have the backing of institutions such as ANCI (National Association of Italian Municipalities) and are hopeful of achieving their objective in view of the recent election of nearby L'Aquila as Italian Capital of Culture 2026.
M. STENHOUSE
Info: Tel. +39.0864.49117 comune.cocullo@katamail.com