Fires of Saint Anthony Abbot

A fire ritual in the heart of the Alto Sangro

On January 17th, the feast day of Saint Anthony Abbot, the village of Alfedena, in the province of L'Aquila, becomes a vibrant hub of devotion to the patron saint of animals. Nestled at an altitude of approximately 914 meters in the Alto Sangro valley, on the edge of the Abruzzo, Lazio and Molise National Park, the municipality of Alfedena keeps alive a tradition rooted in an ancient past, when winter fires held purifying and propitiatory significance, marking a rebirth on the threshold of the Carnival season.

The eight bonfires and the spirit of the festival

In the early afternoon, around 3:00 PM, the lighting of the fires begins: eight large wood piles are set ablaze in the alleys and squares of the historic center, meticulously prepared by the local youth who spend days gathering and stacking the timber. The 2025 edition saw over 800 quintals of wood burned, with approximately 3,000 attendees, numbers that testify to the extraordinary vitality of this community rite. People gather around the flames to sing, toast with local red wine, and share stories in a spirit of camaraderie that blends the sacred and the profane.

Procession and blessing of the animals

The religious dimension remains central. In the evening, around 6:00 PM, Holy Mass is celebrated at Largo don Filippo Bunetti, followed by the blessing of the fires and the animals, reaffirming the deep bond between Saint Anthony Abbot and the rural world. The statue of the saint is carried in procession through the village streets, amidst the flames illuminating the winter night.

Music, bagpipes, and traditional flavors

The festival is accompanied by the sounds of the zampogna and ciaramella: the bagpipers of Scapoli animate the streets with their wandering music, while the Sonaterra group performs in the square around 9:30 PM. From 7:00 PM, food stalls open, offering traditional local specialties: panonta, "lullitte e faciule", ciceranate (boiled corn), fire-roasted potatoes, and local wine.

A bid for UNESCO recognition

The growing success of the event has prompted the municipal administration to launch the candidacy of the Fires of Saint Anthony Abbot of Alfedena as UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage. As stated by Mayor Luigi Milano, the festival represents an unbroken identity, safeguarded by the community even during the most difficult years, and capable of attracting visitors and delegations from other territories historically linked to the village, such as Veroli in the Frosinone area. An event that, every January, reaffirms the identity of this small Abruzzese town of ancient Samnite origins, the ancient Aufidena.