Cocullo

Cocullo
Comune
Comune di Cocullo

Map of Cocullo within the Province of L'Aquila
Cocullo

Location of Cocullo in Italy

Coordinates: 42°2′2″N 13°46′33″E / 42.03389°N 13.77583°E / 42.03389; 13.77583Coordinates: 42°2′2″N 13°46′33″E / 42.03389°N 13.77583°E / 42.03389; 13.77583
Country Italy
Region Abruzzo
Province / Metropolitan city L'Aquila (AQ)
Frazioni Casale
Government
 • Mayor Sandro Chiocchio (PD)
Area
 • Total 31 km2 (12 sq mi)
Elevation 900 m (3,000 ft)
Population (2013)[1]
 • Total 246
 • Density 7.9/km2 (21/sq mi)
Demonym(s) Cocullesi
Time zone CET (UTC+1)
 • Summer (DST) CEST (UTC+2)
Postal code 67030
Dialing code 0864
Patron saint San Domenico abate
Saint day First Thursday in May
Website Official website

Cocullo is a comune and town in the Province of L'Aquila, located in the Abruzzo region of Italy. As of 2013 its population was of 246.

Geography

The village is situated in the Peligna Valley, between the towns of Avezzano and Sulmona. It is linked with them by the A25 motorway and the Rome-Pescara railway line.

It is a single civil parish (frazione), named Casale[2] and borders with the municipalities of Anversa degli Abruzzi, Bugnara, Castel di Ieri, Castelvecchio Subequo, Goriano Sicoli, Ortona dei Marsi and Prezza.

History

The origins of Cocullo are closely related to the Ancient Roman town of Koukoulon, situated between Cocullo village and Casale.[3]

Snake Festival (Feast of San Domenico)

Cocullo is known for its singular patron saint's holiday, named Festa dei Serpari, in which the patron saint's statue (Domenico di Sora) is transported in procession covered with many snakes (mainly four-lined, aesculapian, grass, and green whip snakes). The reptiles themselves are transported in procession by local serpari,[4] a sort of "snake breeders", and released in the surrounding woods at the end of the holiday.[5][6] The festival, set every first of May since 2012 (in the past it took place every first Thursday in May), is a receptive event for thousands of Italian and foreign visitors. In 2009, it was cancelled due to some structural damages occurred into the village after the L'Aquila earthquake.[7] This tradition, present also in coat of arms symbolism,[8] substituted the ancient Roman mythologic ritual of Angitia, a snake goddess worshipped by the Marsi.[9]

Photogallery

Notes and references

  1. ↑ All demographics and other statistics from the Italian statistical institute (Istat)
  2. ↑ (Italian) Casale webpage on municipal website
  3. ↑ (Italian) History of Cocullo
  4. ↑ The word is composed by the word serpe -or serpente-, Italian for snake
  5. ↑ (Italian) Infos about the holiday on municipal website
  6. ↑ Coucllo Snake Festival on www.lifeinabruzzo.com
  7. ↑ Article on Sky News
  8. ↑ Image of the coat of arms of Cocullo on it.wiki
  9. ↑ A Guide to the Region Abruzzo

Media related to Cocullo at Wikimedia Commons

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