The Torciata di San Giuseppe tells the propitiatory legend of the arrival of spring. Since the Etruscan era, the ceremony of the buried seed was celebrated as a symbol of life and during the Middle Ages this ceremony was Christianized and made to coincide with the feast of San Giuseppe. An ancient tale full of meanings that recalls the rite of fire that kills winter and fertilizes spring.
At dusk, from Palazzo Orsini, in the suggestive atmosphere of the village, the Corteo del Villano parades; the route ends by reaching Piazza Garibaldi where a huge bundle of reeds is set on fire, a symbolic representation of the winter that is about to die. Then, little by little, the magic fades away, leaving in its place the ash that will be collected as a sign of good luck.
The event kicks off on Saturday, March 14th with “The Rites of Fire,” featuring seven teams from Tuscany, Abruzzo, and Molise.