The World Through a Lens
A Statue Draped With Snakes? In Italy, It Happens Every Year.
Held in a small, mountainous village, this festival has it all: snakes, charmers, religion, science. See for yourself — and try not to squirm.
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It was the morning of May 1, and the Italian village of Cocullo was almost unrecognizable. The typical placidity of its quiet alleys and muted central square had given way to several thousand people: religious travelers, musicians, young women in ornate costumes, tourists from the far corners of the country and beyond.
A group of pilgrims from Atina, a town some 30 miles south, walked slowly toward the Church of Santa Maria, singing ancient religious songs and carrying a centuries-old cross. They were accompanied by bagpipe players and the town band.
It wasn’t the crowds, though, that made this gathering special. It was the snakes.
At every corner, someone was handling one of the animals, which slithered across their hands and arms. The boys and girls of the village took turns showcasing the creatures to small groups of people who crowded around to take pictures and ask questions.
At noon, silence fell over the scene, and a large figure, carved from wood, emerged: the statue of San Domenico. In front of the church, people began draping the figure with snakes.
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