January is the month when huge fires light the sky in Pontremoli. It is the time when the old medieval rivalries of the Guelphs and Ghibellines resurface, when the men rally with skulduggery in mind and when the parishes of San Nicolò and San Geminiano compete to build the biggest and best bonfire.
On 17 January, the Parish of San Nicolò will light its bonfire on the riverbed near Porta Parma, while on 31 January San Geminiano will light theirs on the banks of the Verde at Ponte della Cresa. Both events start at 19:00 and are normally preceded by fireworks.
The bonfires, which are built on a wooden frame up to 13 metres high, are fuelled by dry branches and undergrowth. Collection of the material starts in September when a call goes out to all men and boys of the two parishes to participate or alternatively to pay a fine in the form of wine. The firewood is stored in secret locations to dry out as sabotage by the opposing parish is expected.
Each bonfire takes up to 18 hours to construct, with 30 men working in shifts in the cold January weather. With the exception of the framework, which can be constructed with the help of lifting gear, the bonfire is painstakingly built by hand. The success of the fire very much depends on the skill of those who build it. The firewood must enable the flow of air into the interior to ensure the pyre burns consistently. Once construction starts, the bonfire is guarded at all times to prevent sabotage.
On the night of the bonfire, the pyre is light by 40 men with torches and the flames reach 30 metres into the air. The two parishes are very competitive and the whole town of Pontremoli turns out to watch.
Before becoming a Catholic celebration in the Middle Ages, the bonfires were part of the pagan festival to worship the god of fire at the start of the coldest time of the year. Today, tradition has it that the winning parish will be the one responsible for bringing abundant harvests and riches to Pontremoli in the coming year.
War cry of the Parish of San Geminiano:
Lò lò lò
Abbasso San Nicolò
Abbasso il Vaticano
Evviva San Geminiano!
Photos courtesy of Falò San Geminiano.
The bonfires of Pontremoli appeared on Ciao Lunigiana on 4 January 2011. All rights reserved.
Nice story, I hadn’t heard of this. I read ‘La Luna e I Falo’ by Pavese in Italian a few years ago. Although there’s not much about bonfires, it was clear that they had a nostalgic emotional meaning that I lacked. Thanks.
Thanks Mike. If you’re interested, here is some more background information (in Italian) http://falosangeminiano.blogspot.com/2009/11/nuove-ipotesi-sulle-origini-del-falo.html