The Italian Nativity Scene

The main focus of Christmas decorations in Italy is usually the Presepe or Presepio, the Nativity scene. Il Presepe is traditionally set up on December the 8th, the Feast Day of the Immaculate Conception, together with the Christmas tree, the decorations remain until Epiphany, the 6^th of January.

Presepi usually can be found in every family’s living room, but also in squares, shops, and other public areas. Also every church has a presepe and displays often go beyond the manger scene and may even include a representation of the entire village.

Every year Saint Peter’s Church in London hosts a Presepe. Peter Bertoncini has been making it every year for the last 40 years.

The presepe (5mX10m) is placed at the right side of the altar. Peter Bertoncini, Alessandra Tondelli, Anna Giacon, Francesco e Domenico Giacon have been working at it for about 60 hours spread over three weeks.

This year’s presepio edition is slightly different from the previous one, for example the background is light blue because it is set at dawn while last year it was dark blue because it was night.

The Nativity scene is said to have originated with St. Francis of Assisi in 1223 when he constructed a nativity scene in a cave in the town of Greccio and held Christmas Eve mass and a nativity pageant. The town of Greccio re-enacts this event each year.

The first presepio made out of carved figurines was made by Arnolfo di Cambio in the late 13th century when he was commissioned to carve marble nativity figures for the first Rome Jubilee held in 1300. This precious nativity can still be seen in the church museum of Santa Maria Maggiore.

Naples is the right place to admire hundreds of nativity scenes, erected throughout the city. Starting from December the 8th, the Church of Gesu' Nuovo, in Piazza del Gesu', displays nativity scene art work from the Neapolitan Nativity Scenes Association.

The presepio is so important in Naples that Via San Gregorio Armeno, in the city centre, is filled with displays and stalls selling Nativity scenes all year long.

Moreover, Il Museo Nazionale di San Martino in Naples has an elaborate collection of nativity scenes from the 1800s.

The Vatican City erects a huge presepe in St. Peter's Square for Christmas and it is usually unveiled on Christmas Eve.

In Rome some of the biggest and most elaborate presepi are found in Piazza del Popolo, Piazza Euclide, Santa Maria in Trastevere, and Santa Maria d'Aracoeli, on the Capitoline Hill. A life-size nativity scene is set up in Piazza Navona together with a Christmas market. Another famous nativity scene on display all year is the one in the the Church of Saints Cosma e Damiano.

Il Museo Tipologico Nazionale del Presepio, under the church of Saints Quirico e Giulitta in Rome, has over 3000 figurines from all over the world.

There are so many nativity scenes in Italy that to mention them all is an impossible task. Let’s just focus on some of the most remarkable ones.

An elaborate life size nativity scene is created each year and transported to a beautiful grotto in Abruzzo, commune of Stiffe, about 20 miles from L'Aquila.

Verona has an international display of nativities in the Arena all through the month of January.

Trento in northern Italy's Alto-Adige region has a large nativity scene in Piazza Duomo.

Jesolo, 30 km from Venice, has a sand sculpture nativity made by top international sand sculpture artists. It takes place daily in Piazza Marconi in mid-January.

Manarola in Cinque Terre has a unique ecological nativity powered by solar energy.

Celleno, a tiny town in the northern Lazio region about 30 km from Viterbo, has a magnificent presepe that is set up for viewing all through the year.

Also Many churches in Milan have elaborate nativity scenes set up around Christmas time.

Very popular are also Living Nativity Scenes performed during the Christmas holydays in many different places.

Giulia Lombardo