'Ndocciata di Agnone

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'Ndocciata is an ancient Christmas festival celebrated in Molise, southern Italy, specifically in the city of Agnone. The “Ndocciata” of Agnone is a parade of a great number of “‘ndocce” (torches), structures with a typical fanwise shape, made of silver fir pinewood pallets.They may be only one torch or, more often, with multiple torches up to twenty fires. Four meters high, “‘ndocce” are transported by different carriers dressed in traditional costumes. The big bell of St. Anthony’s Church is rung, and groups consisting of hundreds of carriers of all ages, light their ndocce (torches) to set off along the main streets which thus becomes what locals call a “river of fire.” The groups compete in order to have the biggest and the most beautiful “‘ndocce”. The procession ends with a bonfire called “Bonfire of Brotherhood” at Plebiscite Square where a Nativity scene is displayed.
The History
The roots of the festival precede the Christian and Roman eras to the time of the Samnite tribes. The Samnites were using ndocce as a source of light during the strategic tribal shifts that occurred at night. The tradition has since been passed down to farmers (noted after the 9th century) that sought to illuminate the path from the various districts that took them to reach the many churches in town on Christmas night and witness the Nativity. Different traditions have been reflected in Ndocciata over the years, for example, if the wind blew from the north during the bonfire it was expected to be a good year. During medieval times, a roaring fire from the torches helped overcome witches. Another Ndocciata tradition recalls that boys on this occasion tried to make a good impression in the eyes of the town girls they were competing for, and they tried to create the most beautiful and compact (in order to make it last longer) ndocce. At the end of the parade the ndoccia was brought under the window of the girl on which he pinned his hope. If she looked out meant that she appreciated the gesture, adversely a bucket of water extinguished the torch and the ardour of youth. The public square bonfire lighting is now meant for people meet to say goodbye to anything negative, and is symbolically burned in the fire. At the end of the parade, a Nativity is displayed symbolizing not only Christmas but renewal for a new year.
The ndocce are large torches made of silver fir pine and white bundles of dried broom held together by twine. The torches are three to four meters high and sometimes are joined by horizontal poles to form groups that can reach up to twenty torches arranged in the shape of a fan. The carriers wear black complemented with a hood or hat, which is derived from the ancient garments of the Oscan Samnite tribe as a tacit form of humility.
La Ndocciata è un'antica festa natalizia celebrata in Molise, nel sud Italia, più precisamente nella città di Agnone. La “Ndocciata” di Agnone è una sfilata di un gran numero di “'ndocce” (torce), strutture dalla tipica forma a ventaglio, realizzate con pallet di legno di abete bianco e pino. Possono essere ad una sola fiaccola o, più spesso, a più torce. fino a venti fuochi. Alte quattro metri, le “ndocce” vengono trasportate da diversi trasportatori vestiti con costumi tradizionali. Suona la grande campana della Chiesa di Sant’Antonio e gruppi formati da centinaia di portatori di tutte le età, accendono le loro ndocce (torce) per incamminarsi lungo le vie principali che diventano così quello che i locali chiamano un “fiume di fuoco”. I gruppi gareggiano per accaparrarsi le “‘ndocce” più grandi e belle. La processione si conclude con il falò detto “Falò della Confraternita” in Piazza del Plebiscito dove viene allestito il presepe.