The rituals of fire, that are taking place these weeks in some towns of the wonderful Puglia, are among the Apulian folk traditions.
One of them is in Castellana Grotte, where every year on the 11th January they celebrate Maria Santissima della Vetrana, which became Patron Saint after having saved the city from a terrible pestilence in the late 17th century.
During the Fanove event, dozens and dozens of pyres are ignited all over the township to commemorate the miracle granted from the Holy Mary.
The fire is symbol of purification, it burns and destroys everything, but it also feeds with light and heat and life would not be possible without. In the peasant culture fire was a propitiatory rite for the harvest which marks the transition from one season to another.
It becomes a convivial moment with popular music and tasting of typical products.
On the 16th and 17th January in Novoli, in Salento, it takes place the Focara event in honour of Saint Anthony Abate.
It is an unique and huge bonfire, high more than 20 metres, which is burned all night long in the presence of thousands of people coming from most of South of Italy: this is the biggest fire in the Mediterranean area.
Saint Anthony Abate is connected to the fire-worship as it’s said that he had challenged the Devil in hell to release the souls of sinners.
The fire season covers the springtime when in San Marco in Lamis, on the Gargano area, the Fracchie are fired up to escort the Lady of Sorrows during the Good Friday parade.
The Fracchie, which comes from the Latin word facula (torch), are long and cone-shaped torches built with a tree trunk filled with bushes and sticks, so large to be carried on bogie.
The Fracchie tradition dates back to the end of 1700s and early 1800s and it was designed to light up the streets when Mary, Mother of Sorrows was searching for the dead body of Jesus Christ.
The ritual of the fire is one of the heartfelt folk traditions in Puglia, between Sacred and Profane.
viaggieitinerari... in Puglia by Valeria Dicarlo 