Every year, on the night of January 11, the tradition of the fanove (large bonfires) is rekindled in the town center and countryside of Castellana. Huge piles of wood are prepared by associations and groups of young people, who compete in a playful spirit for the title of “best fanova of the year.” Around the blazing fires, people gather and celebrate to the rhythm of folk music and a good glass of wine, paying tribute to the Madonna della Vetrana, who on January 11, 1691, drove the plague out of Castellana. On that night, in fact, two priests prayed fervently to the Madonna of the local convent, and the following day many people were healed after being anointed with the miraculous oil from the votive lamp. The plague thus left the town, and everything that had come into contact with the disease was burned, while the end of the contagion was celebrated around the many bonfires that had been lit. On January 12, the festivities continue with religious celebrations in honor of the Patron Saint, Maria Santissima della Vetrana. The ritual, however, begins on the night of January 10 at 3:00 a.m. with the “Diana,” the traditional collection of offerings among the local olive mills: accompanied by the town band, the faithful go from place to place gathering the oil that will fuel the votive lamp of the Madonna della Vetrana throughout the entire year.