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Acquapendente's Pugnaloni Festival

Writer's picture: Gabriele SerrauGabriele Serrau

The Pugnaloni Festival in Acquapendente, celebrated on the third Sunday of May, stands as one of Tuscia's most ancient and vibrant folklore celebrations, originally known as the Mid-May Festival.


View of the square in acquapendente with the background of a church as people admire the stabbing during the days of the festival of the same name

Organized by the Pro Loco Association in collaboration with municipal authorities, this event honors the Madonna del Fiore, tracing its roots back to a local legend from 1166. According to the tale, two peasants witnessed a cherry tree miraculously bloom during Frederick Barbarossa's rule.


A detail of a stabbing from the Acquapendente stabbing festival, mosaics made with flowers and leaves, composed on wooden panels. It is possible to admire a rose

This event, seen as an auspicious sign, spurred the villagers to rise up with pitchforks and farming tools, overthrowing the emperor and destroying his castle, symbolizing reclaimed freedom and gratitude toward the Madonna.

The festival's highlight is the parade of "Pugnaloni," large wooden panels measuring 2.6 by 3.6 meters, adorned with intricate mosaics made from flowers and leaves. Artisans meticulously cut the leaves to form the mosaic's background, then apply flowers to create the detailed designs, all prepared the night before the parade.


 A detail of a stabbing from the Acquapendente stabbing festival, mosaics made with flowers and leaves, composed on wooden panels. It is possible to see the gaping mouth of a snake toward the face of a woman, whose red tears gently trickle down her body until they create a floral lotus design on her shoulder

This tradition echoes the ancient peasant custom of parading behind the Madonna's statue with flower-adorned pitchforks, commemorating the battle against the sovereign and the cherry tree's bloom. These pitchforks, or "pungoli," were long poles with a metal tip used to prod oxen during plowing.


Historical groups craft these Pugnaloni, engaging in an annual competition that awards the most exceptional creation. Displayed in the town's historic center on the festival day, the Pugnaloni are later paraded in the evening and honored with awards in the town square.


A detail of a stabbing from the Acquapendente stabbing festival, mosaics made with flowers and leaves, composed on wooden panels. You can see part of a person's face covered by a majestic multi-colored feathered bird

The day features medieval reenactments, flag-waving performances, and historical processions, enriching the celebration with a blend of religious homage and cultural spectacle.


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