Cocullo

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Cocullo
Comune
Comune di Cocullo
Cocullo 05.jpg
Map of comune of Cocullo (province of L'Aquila, region Abruzzo, Italy).svg
Map of Cocullo within the Province of L'Aquila
Location of Cocullo
Cocullo
Italy provincial location map 2016.svg
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Cocullo
Location of Cocullo in Italy
Italy Abruzzo location map.svg
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Cocullo
Cocullo (Abruzzo)
Coordinates: 42°2′2″N13°46′33″E / 42.03389°N 13.77583°E / 42.03389; 13.77583
Country Italy
Region Abruzzo
Province L'Aquila (AQ)
Frazioni Casale
Government
 • MayorSandro Chiocchio (Civic list Insieme per il progresso)
Area
[1]
 • Total
31 km2 (12 sq mi)
Elevation
897 m (2,943 ft)
Population
 (2013) [2]
 • Total
246
 • Density7.9/km2 (21/sq mi)
Demonym Cocullesi
Time zone UTC+1 (CET)
 • Summer (DST) UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal code
67030
Dialing code 0864
ISTAT code 066037
Patron saint San Domenico di Sora
Saint dayFirst 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.

Contents

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 [3] 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. [4]

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 are draped onto the statue before the procession by local serpari, [5] villagers trained and authorized to capture wild snakes, who then release them in the same location where they have been found after the holiday [6] . [7] [8] 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. [9] This tradition, present also in coat of arms symbolism, [10] substituted the ancient Roman mythologic ritual of Angitia, a snake goddess worshipped by the Marsi. [11]


Notes and references

  1. ↑ "Superficie di Comuni Province e Regioni italiane al 9 ottobre 2011". Italian National Institute of Statistics. Retrieved 16 March 2019.
  2. ↑ All demographics and other statistics from the Italian statistical institute (Istat)
  3. ↑ (in Italian) Casale webpage on municipal website Archived 2007-05-02 at archive.today
  4. ↑ (in Italian) History of Cocullo Archived 2008-04-08 at archive.today
  5. ↑ The word is composed by the word serpe -or serpente-, Italian for snake
  6. ↑ "Italian festival of the snake-catchers revealed in colourful photos". New Scientist. Retrieved 2025-06-16.
  7. ↑ (in Italian) Infos about the holiday on municipal website Archived 2012-07-28 at archive.today
  8. ↑ Cocullo Snake Festival on www.lifeinabruzzo.com
  9. ↑ Article on Sky News
  10. ↑ Image of the coat of arms of Cocullo on it.wiki
  11. ↑ A Guide to the Region Abruzzo Archived 2012-01-05 at the Wayback Machine

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