Thousands gather to celebrate bizarre festival of snakes - PHOTO

But in one tiny town in central Italy serpents are treated as VIPs and given pride of place in the May Day celebrations, as piles of writhing reptiles are paraded around respectful crowds.Each May 1 the people of medieval town of Cocullo in the Apennine Mountains places thirty live snakes onto a statue of Saint Domenic as they celebrate the Saint's healing powers in an annual procession.Thousands of locals, tourists, photographers and snake-lovers line the streets, many bringing wild snakes that they have recently captured, as the slithering centrepiece makes it's way through the Abruzzo town. After the 90 minute procession the reptiles, a combination of four-lined, aesculapian, grass and green whip snakes, are set free in the wild while the celebrations continue in Cocullo with a huge fireworks display.According to local news site lifeinabruzzo.com there are three supposed origins to the Snake Festival but the strongest held belief is that in the 11th Century Saint Domenic was said to have cleared the local fields of thousands of snakes and as a sign of thanks the locals have been parading his serpent-covered since 1392.(dailymail.co.uk)BakuDaily.Az