La 'Ntorcia di Sant Martine

La 'Ntorcia di Sant Martine in Atessa

La 'Ntorcia di Sant Martine is one of the oldest and most heartfelt devotional rites in the Abruzzo hinterland. Every year, in early May, the faithful of Atessa, in the province of Chieti, renew a nocturnal pilgrimage on foot that leads them from the Cathedral of San Leucio to the Vallone di Santo Spirito in Fara San Martino, at the foot of the Majella massif. It is a demanding journey of over thirty kilometers, rich in emotion, physical endurance, and profound spirituality.

The legend of Saint Martin the Hermit

The tradition is rooted in the figure of Saint Martin, a hermit born in Atessa in the 15th century, who lived a solitary life in a cave near Fara San Martino, where a monastery was later built. According to popular lore, the saint asked his fellow citizens to bring candles to his hermitage site every year to honor his memory. From this promise, the custom of offering 'ndorce—large votive candles—was born, intended to ward off drought and ensure a bountiful harvest.

The 'ndorce, the great votive candles

The 'ndorce is a monumental candle weighing about seven kilograms: a central candle surrounded by four smaller ones, interspersed with reeds topped with flowers, all bound together and wrapped in colored paper. Pilgrims carry five of them, offering some to the church in Fara San Martino and placing the others in the hermit's cave, where they are lit as a sign of devotion.

The nocturnal journey

The departure takes place in the heart of the night, around 3:00 AM, from the Cathedral of San Leucio. The long route passes through San Pasquale, Crocetta di Bomba, Sant'Antonio di Bomba, Roccascalegna, Gessopalena, Lake Casoli, Civitella Messer Raimondo, and finally Fara San Martino, with refreshment stops along the way. Upon reaching the Vallone di Santo Spirito, the devotees collect cicelitte, small stones traditionally believed to have healing properties, once used to soothe aches or scattered in fields to bless the harvest.

A heritage of Abruzzo

Included in the Maggio Atessano events, the 'Ntorcia di Sant Martine represents an intangible heritage that unites faith, community, and the landscape of the province of Chieti and Abruzzo. Each edition attracts the faithful, hikers, and curious visitors, preserving a centuries-old devotion among the villages and mountains of the Majella.