Fucarazzo of Sant'Antuono

The great bonfire that opens the year in Sant'Antuono

The Fucarazzo of Sant'Antuono is the festival that rekindles the hill of Sant'Antuono every January. Located in the Municipality of Ischia — in the Metropolitan City of Naples, Campania — the neighborhood takes its name from the parish church dedicated to Saint Anthony the Abbot. On the eve of January 17th, the saint's feast day, a large bonfire blessed by the parish priest is lit in front of the church on Via Acquedotto: it is the first event in the winter festival calendar on the island of Ischia.

Fire, purification, and good omens

Fire is the central element of the cult of Saint Anthony the Abbot throughout Southern Italy, and in Ischia, the fucarazzo maintains its significance: the flames symbolize purification and good omens for the year ahead. Devotion to the hermit saint is deeply rooted on the island, linked to the memory of the 1302 Arso eruption and the farming world of the ciucciai, the muleteers who transported grapes along the slopes of Mount Epomeo and entrusted the protection of their animals to the saint.

The band, the Mass, and the blessing of the fire

The eve follows a well-established tradition:

• In the late afternoon, the «Città di Ischia» Marching Band parades through the parish streets with a traditional musical tour;
• The Solemn First Vespers Mass is celebrated in the church, accompanied by the «San Vito Martire» Polyphonic Choir, conducted by maestro Gianvito Di Maio;
• Following this is the most anticipated moment: the blessing of the fire and the lighting of the great bonfire in honor of Sant'Antuono.

The community sausage feast

The salsicciata (sausage feast) takes place around the fire, a convivial moment that draws residents and visitors alike every year: sandwiches, grilled sausages, and chatting late into the evening. It is a simple, popular ritual that turns the churchyard and the hill's streets into a large open-air kitchen, giving the evening the feel of a true neighborhood party along with the band's music.

The carusielli and the blessing of the animals

On January 17th, the liturgical feast of Saint Anthony the Abbot, the parish hosts the second part of the festivities. Children break the carusielli, traditional terracotta piggy banks whose contents are donated to the festival, and the parish priest, Father Giuseppe Nicolella, performs the blessing of the animals, the ritual that defines Sant'Antuono more than any other: dogs, cats, birds, as well as chickens and horses, are brought by the faithful to be blessed. A procession along the hill's streets completes the day.

A parish with five centuries of history

The parish church of Saint Anthony the Abbot on Via Acquedotto originated from a hermitage chapel built in the 16th century; expanded and restored several times, it was dedicated in its current form in 2003. The neighborhood that took its name formed around it, between Ischia Porto and the inland countryside: a corner of the island far from the summer tourist circuits, which shows its most authentic face in January.

When to go

The Fucarazzo is a fixed appointment in mid-January, with the bonfire lit on the evening of the 16th. No ticket is required: participation is free; just arrive in time for the band's tour and stay around the fire. That same weekend, other Sant'Antuono bonfires are lit in various municipalities on the island, from Casamicciola Terme to the Piellero area of Forio, making the occasion a small itinerary through Ischian traditions.