Lu Sand Andunje

Lu Sand Andunje: the folk roots of Torino di Sangro

"Lu Sand Andunje" is the annual event held every January 17th, where the Municipality of Torino di Sangro, in the province of Chieti, celebrates Saint Anthony the Abbot in collaboration with the local Pro Loco. It is a traditional performance of Abruzzo folk culture, a ritual that weaves together singing, sacred theater, and begging traditions, deeply rooted in the rural world of the Vasto area.

The temptation of Saint Anthony

At the heart of the event is the dramatization—both devout and playful—of the temptations of Saint Anthony the Abbot. Performers in masks and costumes bring traditional characters to life: the hermit, the angels, and the devils who tempt the Saint in the desert. Through verses sung in the local dialect, passed down orally from generation to generation, the trials the Abbot had to overcome to resist the devil are reenacted in a narrative that alternates between sacredness and popular irony.

The parade through the village

The group sets off from the square in Via Croce di Mare and parades through the streets of Torino di Sangro, bringing songs and cheer from house to house. This typical Abruzzo tradition bridges the eve and the day of January 17th with a journey of sounds, music, and sacred performances that continues late into the evening, engaging every corner of the town.

A patron saint of the rural world

Saint Anthony the Abbot is one of the most venerated saints in Abruzzo's agricultural communities, where he is considered the protector of domestic animals and livestock. His feast day, in the heart of winter, has been an occasion for devotion and collective gathering for centuries, marked throughout the region by bonfires, blessings, and ancient customs. In Torino di Sangro, "Lu Sand Andunje" preserves and renews this intangible heritage, restoring to the community a deep sense of its own roots.

A community event

Organized by the Municipality of Torino di Sangro in collaboration with the Pro Loco APS, the event is a defining moment for this Abruzzo village overlooking the Trabocchi Coast. Admission is free, and the event draws locals and curious visitors alike, united in rediscovering one of the most authentic expressions of Chieti's folklore.