The Carrese is a traditional ox-drawn cart race linked to the celebrations for St. Leo, patron saint of San Martino in Pensilis (May 2). Its origins date back to a 12th-century legend, when Count Robert III of Bassavilla, lord of the County of Loretello, organized a hunting party with his nineteen barons.
At the end of the hunt they returned to Licchiano, there where they had tied their horses. The nobles discovered a cave illuminated by a supernatural light, containing the relics of Saint Leo. The desire to preserve the saint’s body generated a heated dispute among the barons, each eager to take it to his own fiefdom. To resolve the issue, they decided to rely on Providence: they placed the relics on an ox-drawn cart and let them choose the destination.
The animals passed through several towns before stopping in front of the church of Santa Maria in Pensilis, in San Martino in Pensilis. From then on, the village became the custodian of St. Leo’s relics and a pilgrimage destination.
The chariot races, initially simple religious processions, became competitions starting in 1728, after the relics were moved to the church of St. Paul the Apostle. Today the Carrese is a major event for the community, divided into groups called Giovani, Giovanotti and Giovanissimi, who compete in a symbolic race to celebrate the saint and renew an ancient tradition.