The Fires of St. Joseph of Itri

On the evening of St. Joseph's Day, the streets of the town of Itri host bonfires, around which people sing, eat and dance. This tradition has ancient roots in that on March 19 Itrians used to light fires to burn puppets made of old rags stuffed with straw. It was believed that the flames could propitiate the arrival of spring with the consequent end of winter and its associated ills and misfortunes.