October in Atina: San Marco, the Grape Harvest, and Traditions

October in Atina: A Month of Faith, Work, and Togetherness

In Atina, the month of October was marked by two major events: the feast of Saint Mark and the grape harvest. The community experienced busy days where religious traditions, rural rituals, preparations for winter, and conviviality around the fruits of the land all intertwined.

The Feast of Saint Mark and Religious Celebrations

On October 1st, the celebrations in honor of Saint Mark, patron saint of Atina, began. The event was so important that one day was not enough: it was celebrated for at least three days, with religious rites, fairs, and processions. The Confraternities and devotees of the Saint participated with solemnity, while the streets of the town came alive with the music of the Tavoliere band and local musicians.

During the procession, the silver relic depicting the hand and arm of Saint Mark was carried by the parish priest together with the statue of the Bishop of Galilee. The townspeople attended with great devotion, asking for protection and blessings for their families and harvests. The squares also hosted a fair, full of products for the festive meal and tools useful for daily life.

On October 4th, the Feast of Saint Francis at the Convent was added, with children wearing the habit and receiving blessed bread. A simple and evocative ritual that strengthened the bond between faith and community.

Flavours of Autumn: Chestnuts, Pomegranates, and Nocillo

October was also the month of autumn fruits: pomegranates, grapes, and chestnuts filled gardens and cellars. Walnuts and hazelnuts, called v’luan’ in the local dialect, were precious for Christmas sweets and for making the traditional nocillo or nocino, an aromatic liqueur that is still part of the traditions of the Valle di Comino today.

Field Work: Sowing and Harvesting

Beyond the celebrations, October was a time for agricultural work. New sowings of wheat and barley took place, while in the yards of the scattered houses of Sabina, Case Melfa, Piè delle Piagge, Forme, and Cesapiana, bundles of cannellini beans could be seen hanging to dry. When the time was right, the pods were beaten with the vett’ or gl’ vuètt’, a stick with a rope that allowed the beans to be separated, destined to be stored dry for months.

The Grape Harvest: The Heart of Atina’s Tradition

La vendemmia rappresentava il momento più atteso dell’anno. Ad Atina la cultura del vino aveva radici profonde, legate anche alle celebri cantine dei Visocchi, punto di riferimento per esperienza e capacità imprenditoriale. Durante la raccolta, le cantine diventavano luoghi di lavoro, di confronto e di festa: ci si scambiavano consigli di vinificazione, si discutevano tecniche, ma anche si creavano rivalità bonarie tra produttori, spesso risolte davanti a un bicchiere di vino, con il proverbiale “tutt’ pè n’ b’cch’rucci’” (tutto per un bicchierino).

La raccolta dell’uva avveniva con canestri di vimini e bigonce trasportati dai muli fino alle cantine. Le donne erano addette alla pigiatura, mentre i bambini si divertivano cantando e saltellando, rendendo la fatica un momento di gioia collettiva. A controllare la produzione c’erano le guardie daziarie, che registravano con precisione quantità e qualità nei registri comunali.

I suoni e le atmosfere della vendemmia

Oltre al lavoro, restava impressa nella memoria la suggestione dei suoni: il rumore dei carri colmi di mosto torchiato, il tintinnio delle corde e il vociare nei vicoli creavano un’atmosfera unica. Per Atina, San Donato e Gallinaro, paesi da sempre legati al vino, ottobre era il mese che univa fatica, festa e tradizione, lasciando ricordi indelebili nelle famiglie.