2024

The festival of the snake catchers is an annual event held on May 1st in Cocullo, Italy, to honor St. Dominic of Sora, the patron saint protecting against snakebite and toothache.
The serpari, a hereditary brotherhood of local snake catchers, participate in the procession draped with snakes. After the festival, the snakes are released back into their natural habitat.A team of herpetologists, led by Ernesto Filippi, every year gathers days before the festival, to study the population of snakes, take measurements and samples to check their health status, and to cure ill specimens.

Di Cintio family is proud of their Cocullo origins, and each year they honor S.Domenic, participating to every step of the rite. Cesare, the father, is a snake catcher, while Gabriella, the mother, is deeply engaged in the rite and is a fervent believer of the saint. They have three children: Stefano (12) and Francesco (10), the two boys, follow their father’s steps, catching the snakes every year, to place them on the Saint’s statue for the procession. Aurora (4), the youngest daughter, takes part to the rite every year since she was born, wearing an ancient handmade traditional costume, that used to be worn by her mother and her grandmother before her.