A table with a long history in the mountains of Italy; The mystery of the Panarda feast

According to BBC; In the misty, stony villages of the Abruzzese region in central Italy, an ancient tradition known as Panarda is kept alive, rooted in local legends and religious thanksgiving. This ceremony, which was once held to pay vows to “Saint Antonio”, today has become one of the most glamorous and at the same time the most intimate banquets in the world, where guests sit around a table that sometimes has more than 30 types of traditional and local food on it.

According to oral traditions, this ritual began centuries ago after the miraculous rescue of a child from the mouth of a wolf, and since then, the people of this region have been celebrating nature’s bounty and divine protection by setting up endless tables.

Photographer: unknown / nationalgeographic

What makes Panarda tangible and attractive to foreign observers is not only the unique variety of foods, but the collective spirit that prevails in it, where all the villagers, young and old, participate in baking the holy breads and preparing the large copper cauldrons. In this feast, which sometimes lasts until dawn, eating is not a daily act, but a ritual that strengthens the bond between families and neighbors against the hardships of mountain life.