Sant'Antonio Itinerante

A tradition that becomes a community school

The Sant'Antonio Itinerante is a processional re-enactment that brings the historic center of Trasacco to life every January. Located in the Marsica region, overlooking the ancient Fucino basin in the province of L'Aquila (Abruzzo), this is not your typical committee-organized festival. Instead, it is an educational and cultural project created by the Trasacco State Comprehensive Institute. Students from the fifth grade of primary school and the first year of middle school take to the streets, moving from stop to stop to keep the memory of the Saint Anthony the Great feast alive.

The Mascaritte: Good versus Evil

The heart of the event is the "Mascaritte" play (literally "little masquerades"), the traditional performance that has always accompanied the saint's feast in Trasacco. The story depicts the eternal struggle between good and evil: Saint Anthony the Great is tempted by the Devil in the desert and is saved by the intervention of Saint Michael the Archangel, who defeats the demon. After the Devil's fall, the Bellarridere appear—two jesters, a husband and wife, who conclude the performance with their comic, folk-inspired dialogue. Students portray these characters through songs and acting, reviving a ritual once performed by groups of singers who traveled from house to house.

The itinerant route

As the name suggests, the event is itinerant: the procession travels through the village streets, starting from Via Cifilanico and ending in Piazza dei Santi Cesidio e Rufino, the main square dedicated to the patron saints of Trasacco. Along the way, the play is repeated at several points throughout the town, allowing the entire community to witness it. Local associations provide security and logistical support, while families and residents welcome the procession, filling the streets.

The context: The feast of Saint Anthony the Great in Marsica

This school project is part of the broader cycle of celebrations for Saint Anthony the Great, the protector of animals and agricultural cycles, observed in the Marsica region around January 17th. In Trasacco, as in the nearby towns of Collelongo and Villavallelonga, devotion is intertwined with ancient rituals such as the "cottore"—large outdoor cauldrons used to cook corn (the "cicerocchi") and traditional dishes distributed for free—and the bonfires that blaze in the squares. The "Sant'Antonio Itinerante" succeeds in passing this intangible heritage to new generations by involving the students directly as protagonists.

A growing project

Launched in 2025 as an initiative of the Comprehensive Institute, the event has quickly established itself as one of the most cherished moments in Trasacco's cultural life. The mayor described it as a precious opportunity to rediscover the town's identity, noting that "our roots are our future." It is a free, open-access event that blends education, folklore, and devotion, returning one of its most authentic traditions to the Marsican community.