Saint Anthony Abbot Festival in the hamlets of Montereale

The first festival of the year in Alto Aterno

In the heart of winter, when snow blankets the mountains of Alto Aterno, the hamlets of the Montereale municipality in the Province of L'Aquila celebrate Saint Anthony Abbot, the patron saint of animals and farmers. This is the year's first major festival, involving three neighboring villages—Cesaproba, Ville di Fano, and Cabbia—which take turns hosting the event between January 17th and 19th in a blend of religious rites and centuries-old rural customs.

Bonfires, panonta, and children's rounds

The ritual of fire is the heart of the celebration: propitiatory bonfires are lit in the various districts, serving as a social hub where the historic panonta—a slice of bread topped with pork fat roasted over the flames—is prepared and shared. Early in the morning, children go door-to-door for the traditional begging round, receiving coins, sweets, and donuts in return, passing on their deep connection to local traditions to the next generation.

Processions and the blessing of the animals

Each hamlet dedicates its own day to the Saint. In Cesaproba, on January 17th, the morning begins with a marching band and folk group performances, followed by a procession with the Saint's statue, a religious service, and the blessing of the animals, a key moment honoring the protector of livestock. In Ville di Fano, on January 18th, after mass at the church of S. Lucia, the festivities include fireworks, the blessing of the animals, and the unique asta degli zampitti: pig trotters collected during the cold season are auctioned off to fund the community dinner. In Cabbia, on January 19th, a procession precedes the community lunch featuring the famous cotenne di Sant'Antonio, a hearty spelt-based soup.

Traditional cuisine

The festival is also a culinary ritual: around the bonfires and in the designated square areas, locals share dishes from the ancient agro-pastoral world. The pork offered to the community is served alongside spelt, pork rinds, curd, red beets, tagliatelle, and beans. Evenings continue with dinners accompanied by poets and the sounds of traditional instruments like the organetto (accordion) and ciaramelle (folk pipes), which are dear to the pastoral culture of Abruzzo.

A living tradition

The Saint Anthony Abbot Festival is one of the most deeply felt identity-defining events in Alto Aterno: a gathering that unites the communities of the Montereale hamlets and draws many visitors from afar, reaffirming every January the profound bond between these mountain lands, popular faith, and the peasant civilization of inland Abruzzo.