The feast of St. Martin is a celebration rich in tradition and folklore that is very much felt in several places in Abruzzo and Lazio. Through ancient rites and food and wine traditions, many villages and towns keep their cultural roots alive with events and initiatives throughout the territory.
This is one of the most anticipated celebrations in Abruzzo, an event that combines tradition, culture and gastronomy and marks the end of the agricultural season and the arrival of winter. Every year on November 11, Abruzzo’s towns and villages are colored with joy and centuries-old traditions, turning the day into an evocative event, creating a moment of great cultural and social importance.
One of the most striking events in the region is the Festival of the Glories of St. Martin in Scanno. This celebration is characterized by the lighting of large stacks of wood, called“glories,” which light up the night creating a magical atmosphere. Participants, especially young people, dye their faces with soot and engage in traditional singing and dancing. This rite symbolizes purification and the transition from autumn to winter, celebrating the end of agricultural work and the beginning of a period of rest.
A singular celebration takes place in San Valentino in Abruzzo Citeriore (PE) where every year the Scampanacciata is celebrated in honor of St. Martin, considered the protector of betrayed husbands: here the last man to be married receives the“relléquije,” the relic, from the previous year’s holder, which he will carry around the village accompanied by a (mostly male) procession in which everyone wears a pair of horns, armed with cowbells, cow and goat horns, old drums and pans while singing the hymns of the“coven of the cuckolded.”
In Latium, the feast of St. Martin is closely linked to the wine-making tradition. The saying “In San Martino every must becomes wine” underscores the importance of this date for wine production, marking the moment when must is transformed into new wine. Celebrations include wine tastings, markets and village festivals, where communities come together to savor local products and celebrate the region’s food and wine culture.
In Rome’s Rione Monti, for the entire weekend the neighborhood is dressed up for a party and is filled with activities and shows dedicated to young and old alike.For two full days, from ten o’clock in the morning until late in the evening, merchants are working to bring joy and fun to the thousands of patrons, but also to enhance the immense artistic and cultural heritage guarded by one of the most famous and popular neighborhoods in the capital.
In the village of Rocca Canterano, just a few kilometers from the capital, the Festa del Cornuto (Feast of the Horned Man) takes place over the weekend, as part of the 40th Sagra della Rola (Feast of the Rola). The traditional event that mixes gastronomy, irony and folklore is the perfect opportunity to discover the village and spend a weekend of fun and good food. On the occasion of St. Martin’s Day celebrations, as per tradition, a burlesque procession will parade through the streets of the village carrying “cuckolds” in procession. Also taking place during the weekend will be the Tournament of the Horned, a goliardic competition that will wind through the streets of the village, involving residents and visitors in an atmosphere of play and merriment.
Photos by Giancarlo Malandra Photography & Video
