Celebration of Saint Anthony the Abbot

A winter tradition in the heart of the Alto Tavoliere

In Serracapriola, a village in the province of Foggia overlooking the Alto Tavoliere and the border with Molise, the feast of Saint Anthony the Abbot is much more than a religious recurrence: it is a ritual of identity that has spanned centuries and, every January 17th, draws the entire community into the streets of the center. Here, the celebration is known by the dialect name «Sent'Endon», a term used to distinguish it from the feast of Saint Anthony of Padua.

The «Sent'Endon» ritual

The heart of the festival is a roving procession that winds along Corso Garibaldi and through the homes and shops of the town. The group sings vernacular songs dedicated to the Saint, while shopkeepers and families spontaneously offer sweets and cured meats as a sign of devotion, hoping to gain the Saint's favor to get through the coldest months of the year. It is an ancient gesture that links the liturgical calendar to agricultural cycles and the peasant culture of Southern Italy.

Songs, instruments, and figures of the festival

On the eve of the festival, groups of singers travel through the town performing serenades in dialect accompanied by accordion, mandolin, and guitar, along with traditional local instruments such as the Sciscèlè, Bbuchet-e-bbù, Cciarin, and Troccèlè. Leading the group is a volunteer dressed as a friar, symbolizing the Saint, who uses his forcinella—a long fork-tipped staff—to collect offerings along the way. The songs celebrate laughter, dancing, and pork products, considered essential means to «overwinter» and face the cold season.

The Franciscans and the «Padre Pio Giovane» Convent

The stewardship of this tradition is now also entrusted to the Franciscan community linked to the «Padre Pio Giovane» Convent, one of the most cherished sites in Serracapriola. Founded in 1536, the convent is famous for having hosted the young Padre Pio in 1907 during his formative years. The friars have long guarded and promoted this moment of collective identity, helping to keep its popular and religious soul alive.

Saint Anthony the Abbot, fire, and the start of Carnival

Saint Anthony the Abbot is among the most venerated saints in the Italian countryside: as the protector of animals and the hearth, his feast day on January 17th is traditionally associated with fire and, in many Southern towns, marks the beginning of the Carnival period. In Serracapriola, this date is experienced as a moment of shared joy, where devotion intertwines with the town festival.

Serracapriola, a village of the Capitanata

Dominated by its castle and the medieval old town, Serracapriola is one of the northernmost municipalities of Puglia, nestled between the Tavoliere and the Fortore. Visiting the town during the feast of Saint Anthony the Abbot means discovering a community that continues to recognize itself in its roots, through faith, music, and traditional flavors.