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Every year people in Cocullo, a small medieval town in Italy’s Abruzzo region, adorn a wooden statue of its patron saint with live snakes and parade it through the streets.
The “serpari” festival, on 1 May, honours San Domenico di Sora for miraculously removing snakes from farmers’ fields in the 11th Century .
However, it is also said to originate from the ancient worship of Angitia, a Roman goddess of snakes worshipped by people in central Italy.
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Some people wear outfits that are traditional to the Abruzzo region.
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Snake catchers and charmers – or serpari – catch four types of harmless snakes, before handing them out to worshippers.
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The snakes are then placed gently on a wooden statue of San Domenico.
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More and more snakes are added, until San Domenico is almost completely covered.
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The statue is then carried through the streets, held up high in the centre of a long procession.
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While many march along, some people watch from their balconies.
After the festival, the snakes are released back into the wild.
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