Presepe
NATIVITY SCENES FROM ITALY
These days Christmas decorations seem to go up as early as Halloween, but in Italy, the season does not officially begin until December 8th with the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, a day honoring the Virgin Mary, when the intricately carved and painted nativity crèches, or presepe, are revealed. Plainly visible in churches, storefronts, public squares, and private homes, these nativity scenes are the heart of the holiday tradition in this predominantly Roman Catholic country. Each crèche contains figurines of the Holy Family, but can also include hundreds of other figurines, religious and secular.
Hand-crafted nativity crèches are an integral part of the Italian Christmas season.
Italy is the alleged birthplace of the presepe; its roots trace back to the 13th century and the small town of Greccio, outside Rome, where St. Francis of Assisi celebrated Mass near a hay-filled, torchlit manger, echoing the scene from Christ’s birth in Bethlehem two centuries before. —SBR
WHERE IN THE WORLD...?
Where are the best places to see presepe? Naples is known for some of the most intricate and well-made nativity scenes; Il Museo Nazionale di San Martino in Naples has a crèche collection dating from the 18th century. Vatican City erects a huge presepe in St. Peter’s Square for Christmas. Also in Rome some of the biggest, most elaborate presepi are found in Piazza del Popolo, Piazza Euclide, Santa Maria in Trastevere, and Santa Maria d’Aracoeli. In addition to the Christmas marketplace, a life-size crèche is set up in the popular square, Piazza Navona.