Snakes take centre stage in Italian mountain saint procession

COCULLO: Snakes are the highlight of an ancient religious procession held every May 1 that attracts thousands of visitors to a mountainous village in central Italy.

Every year, villagers wrap a statue of Abbot Saint Dominic in snakes in the weeks leading up to the procession, before carrying it from the church and down Cocullo’s narrow streets.

Abbot Dominic (951-1031), also known as Dominic of Sora, is the patron saint of snake bites, rabid dogs, and toothaches and lived in the region around the year 1000.