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THE CART PROCESSION |
  
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| One of the oldest events in Molise is the tradition of the Cart Procession at Larino, a town of ancient origin only a few kilometres from Termoli.
The cart procession goes back to the year 842 when, according to tradition, on 26 May the people of Larino managed to come into possession of the relics of Saint Pardo, who died and was buried at Lucera. Every year, in memory of that event, over a three-day period (25, 26 and 27 May), a characteristic fair is held with a procession of carts splendidly adorned with paper flowers, each one made by skillful fingers. The carts are pulled by oxen and are of two types: the older ones are in "cottage" style while the more recent ones are "triumphal". During the three days of the feast the carts capture the attention of the many tourists who throng the streets and the square in front of the fine cathedral. The procession held in the evening is really fascinating, when the carts, lit from the inside, take on a magic effect. These are enchanting days which hand down from generation to generation a mystic and profane legend that emotionally involves all the townspeople.
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