The Focara of Novoli
for St. Anthony Abbot
On January 17 and in many cities and towns of Puglia is celebrated the day of Sant'Antonio Abate protector of crops and animals. Bonfires, processions and blessings are dedicated to him. Tradition has it that fire is always present in the celebrations for Sant'Antonio Abate because it is a purifier and a good omen for harvests after the winter cold.
The word Fòcara is a Salento dialect term that indicates a bonfire. The largest Focara in Italy and all of Europe and especially the oldest in Italy is built in Novoli, in the province of Lecce, in honour of the patron saint and it is protected as an intangible cultural asset by UNESCO.
In Novoli the Intorciata, the Fòcara and the fireworks are indispensable to pay homage to the beloved patron. The event, known throughout Puglia and beyond, attracts thousands of spectators from all over Italy but also other European states and has also been the subject of a documentary by National Geographic.
From 16 January there is the Intorciata, a suggestive procession following the statue of the saint, during which the devotees or the followers of the confraternities, coming from the neighbouring villages and from the other provinces, bring enormous candles. But the most striking aspect of the festivities remains the Fòcara: an enormous tower of bundles of vine shoots. It is formed by at least one hundred thousand beams, has a diameter of about twenty meters and can reach a height of about twenty-five meters.
The construction work begins already in the first days of December. Right on the top, on the morning of the feast’s Eve, a flag is hoisted depicting the Saint, which later burns along with the bonfire. The lighting takes place on the evening of January 16, through a fireworks display. The Focara is destined to burn throughout the night and the next day, spreading in the air large amounts of ash symbolizing purification. Even today it is used to collect the ashes of Fòcara, or of the embers, and preserve them as precious relics.
