Experiences labelled with 'snake festival'
The Festival of the Snakes at Cocullo in Italy is a strange mix of Pagan and Catholic ritual celebrated to venerate St. Domenic, known to have cured numerous cases of snake bites. Snake-lovers and other locals march to the streets for a one-and-a-half hour procession of the image of St. Domenic covered with live snakes. Cocullo’s Snake Festival begins in March when serparis (local snake charmers) begin to gather non-poisonous snakes from surrounding areas. They remove their fangs and keep the snakes in captivity for the snake festival in May. Townsfolk have participated in the Festival of the Snakes at Cocullo for many years, and it is said to bring luck to those people who throw snakes at St. Domenic. The procession of St. Domenic's ...
