The Raganelle of Pozzaglia Sabina

A wooden sound instead of bells

There is one evening each year when Pozzaglia Sabina does not listen to its bells. It is Good Friday: according to an ancient custom, during the Paschal Triduum—from Holy Thursday to the Easter Vigil—church bells were symbolically "tied," forbidden from ringing as a sign of mourning for the death of Jesus Christ. In their place, the raganelle took the stage—handcrafted wooden instruments that, when rotated, emit a dry, rhythmic sound similar to a frog's croak, hence the name.

In Pozzaglia Sabina, a small town in the province of Rieti in Lazio, this tradition has not remained a mere footnote in local history books. The Associazione Fedeli di Santa Agostina APS has brought it back to the village streets with a re-enactment open to all, starting at 7:00 PM and moving through the narrow alleys of the historic center, accompanied by the constant clatter of the raganelle.

Who played them, who plays them today

Since the mid-19th century, it was the young altar boys who would roam the village with the raganelle, announcing religious services in place of the bronze bells. Today, the gesture has become a collective one: on the evening of the re-enactment, the raganelle pass into the hands of everyone—young and old, children and the elderly—in an informal procession that is both an act of faith and a community gathering.

There is no stage, no spectacle: just a village walking together in the dark, with a sound unlike any other. Visitors from outside are struck by exactly this—the total absence of artifice and the power of a rite that relies solely on participation.

Abruzzese roots in Sabina soil

Local scholars trace the use of the raganelle back to Abruzzese folk traditions, from which Pozzaglia—nestled in the Lucretili Mountains on the border between Sabina and Abruzzo—has absorbed customs, dialects, and rites over the centuries. This is key to understanding this corner of the Rieti province: a cultural crossroads where the inland Lazio region blends with the mountains of the Central Apennines.

The village of Saint Agostina

Pozzaglia Sabina is the birthplace of Saint Agostina Pietrantoni, a Sister of Charity of Saint Jeanne-Antide Thouret, who was killed in 1894 at the Santo Spirito Hospital in Rome and proclaimed the patron saint of nurses in Italy. The association that promotes the raganelle bears her name and works year-round to enhance the historical, cultural, and religious heritage of the area with concerts, volunteer initiatives, and the grand Saint Agostina Festival on September 14th.

What to expect

• When: Good Friday, a movable date linked to Easter (April 3rd in 2026).
• Meeting point: 7:00 PM, in the historic center of the village.
• Route: The narrow streets and alleys of Pozzaglia, on foot.
• Participation: Free and open to all residents and visitors.
• The raganelle: Handcrafted wooden instruments, distributed and played along the way.

A village to discover around the rite

Pozzaglia Sabina has a few hundred inhabitants and preserves the medieval layout typical of the Lucretili Mountains villages: stone houses huddled together, stairways, and views over the valley. Good Friday evening is perhaps the best time of year to visit, as the village comes alive without losing its sense of contemplation. Those with more time can combine the visit with a tour of the Rieti Sabina, a land of ancient olive groves and DOP extra virgin olive oil, between Orvinio, Poggio Moiano, and the trails of the Lucretili Mountains Regional Natural Park.

The return of the raganelle, after many years of silence, tells a story of what is happening today in many small towns in inland Lazio: a community choosing not to let its rites die, bringing them back to the streets with few resources but great conviction.