When it comes to countries, there's hardly a shortage of things to do in Italy.
Between admiring architecture, brushing up on ancient history and stuffing your face with food and wine, its easy for a small, humble festival to get lost among traveller itineraries.
But what if there were a festival that combined all three? Enter Processione Dei Serpari — Cocullo, Italy's snake festival.
A statue of Saint Domenico covered with live snakes is carried by the faithful during an annual procession in the streets of Cocullo, in the Abruzzo region, on May 1, 2014.
The festival goes by a variety of names, including Cocullo Snake Festival, Snake Charmer's Festival or Festival of Saint Dominic, and takes place on the first Thursday of May.
A statue of Saint Domenico covered with live snakes is carried by the faithful during an annual procession in the streets of Cocullo, in the Abruzzo region, on May 1, 2014.
The festival isn't a celebration of snakes, per se, but a commemoration of the day St. Dominic, the village saint, rid the area of venomous serpents, according to Rough Guides. Think of him as the Samuel L. Jackson of 11th-century Italy, minus the planes and swearing.
A statue of Saint Domenico covered with live snakes is carried by the faithful during an annual procession in the streets of Cocullo, in the Abruzzo region, on May 1, 2014.
To celebrate St. Dominic's work, the village built a statue to honour him, which they parade around once a year and festival-goers can place money, jewels and snakes on the statue. Doing so gives a person immunity to snake venom of one year, according to USA Today (but we would suggest keeping a spare bottle of anti-venom handy.)
A statue of Saint Domenico covered with live snakes is carried by the faithful during an annual procession in the streets of Cocullo, in the Abruzzo region, on May 1, 2014.
As for the snakes themselves, they're pretty harmless.
In fact, they've got no bite at all. Roughly a month and a half before the festival, villagers round up nearby non-venomous snakes and defang them for the ritual. Things kick off around 10 a.m., when participants begin to place snakes on the statue.
A girl holds a snake during an annual procession dedicated to Saint Domenico, in the streets of Cocullo on May 1, 2014.
Its said the act is like a slithery crystal ball: if the snakes coil around St. Dominic's head, the village is in for a good harvest. If the snakes move towards the statue's arms, it's bad news for everyone, according to Lonely Planet.
A statue of Saint Domenico covered with live snakes is carried by the faithful during an annual procession in the streets of Cocullo, in the Abruzzo region, on May 1, 2014.
So what happens to the snakes afterwards?
Well, in the past, they were cooked and eaten. Today, they're kept as pets and eventually released into the wild where they regrow their fangs. In place of snake meat, a sweet bread in the shape of a coiled snake if made and passed around which sounds a bit easier to stomach, especially if you're vegetarian.
Women hold snakes during an annual procession dedicated to Saint Domenico, in the streets of Cocullo in the Abruzzo region, on May 1, 2014.
A man holds a snake during an annual procession dedicated to Saint Domenico, in the streets of Cocullo in the Abruzzo region, on May 1, 2014.
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