On Saturday 19 October in Monte Sant’Angelo (Foggia) “Italea Puglia: the Festival of Apulian roots” crosses the European Association of the Vie Francigene for an exciting and meaningful event, which enhances the ancient European pilgrimage route to the Holy Land.

The appointment is with the “Camminata cantata lungo la Via Francigena”, an original format of Italea Puglia created for the occasion in partnership with the EAVF and the Monte Sant’Angelo Francigena association, which becomes a stage of “Italea Puglia: the Festival of Apulian roots”, the traveling festival promoted by Italea Puglia on the occasion of the 2024 “Year of Italian Roots” of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation to enhance the stories of the authentic communities and traditions of the Heel of Italy.

The Sung Walk along the Via Francigena

The “Sung Walk along the Via Francigena” offers an extraordinary experience in contact with nature and with the stories set in this stretch of Puglia, meeting the memories of wayfarers and pilgrims, and with them farmers, shepherds, lumberjacks who for work and necessity have crossed these places over the centuries. The walk, led by the hiking guide Domenico Antonacci, will be animated by the exciting musical incursions of the singers of the Gargano led by the musician, singer and researcher Pio Gravina. The experience ends with a convivial aperitif.

The appointment is in Monte Sant’Angelo, City of the two Unesco sites, in 2024 designated Capital of Culture of Puglia, an important pilgrimage destination linked to the cult of the Archangel Michael and an important stop on the Via Francigena, which in the Gargano crosses the territory in five stages passing through Troia, Lucera, San Severo, Stignano, San Giovanni Rotondo before arriving at the destination of Monte Sant’Angelo.

The event closes the annual Assembly of EAVF members in celebration, which will meet in the Apulian city on 18 October at the Conference Room of the “Ciro Angelillis” Municipal Library for an international meeting that sees the presence of institutional representatives and partner associations from England, France, Switzerland and Italy.

The assembly is part of a three-day program (17, 18, 19 October), which also includes a meeting with third sector associations along the Via Francigena in the South, a guided tour in the three languages of the participants, the concert “The Power of Music” by Franco Gode and, of course, “Italea Puglia: the Festival of Apulian roots”.

Italea Puglia, the Gargano and the Via Francigena

The Camminata cantata adds a new piece to the work of enhancement of Italea Puglia dedicated to the Apulian stretch of the Via Francigena and to the lands of the Gargano among the Apulian Italodescendants. The first stage of this journey was held last June, with “Italea Puglia meets the Gargano”, five days of activities including educational tours and events open to the public dedicated to the deepening of the traditions and history of emigration from the Gargano lands, which also involved the Municipality of Monte Sant’Angelo with an entire day dedicated to the visit of the Basilica, the Abbey of Santa Maria di Pulsano and the Museum of Popular Arts and Traditions. On the same days, the Sung Walk along the Via Francigena in San Giovanni Rotondo was held.

Last September, Italea Puglia followed the Apulian path along the Via Francigena promoted by the EAVF as part of the European Erasmus HIKE project, following the itinerary from Bari to Monopoli in four intense days that inaugurated the partnership signed between the EAVF and Italea Puglia.