WHAZHOT · MADE IN FLO' · ONLY IN FLO' · DISCOUNT COUPONS
sections
Booking
.
culture
.
Italy's own Christmas tradition Presepe Fever
[]
If the world is divided into bath lovers and shower enthusiasts, Beatles fans and Rolling Stones supporters, tea and coffee drinkers, Italy has an additional set of parties: Christmas tree-decorators and "presepe"-makers.While the Christmas tree is a North-European tradition of pagan origin, the tradition of setting up a presepe (sometimes spelt "presepio") is thought to have originated at Christmas 1223 when St. Francis of Assisi set up a representation of the Nativity at Greccio near Rieti. In fact nativity scenes may have existed even earlier, but this is the first documented instance we know of.
All the same, nativity scenes soon became an important part of the Italian Christmas and cribs (or crèches, as they have become known in French) in all shapes and forms started to appear. One of the oldest was carved in marble by Arnolfo di Cambio (c.1280) and can be seen in the crypt of the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome (the gates at the top of the stairs are usually kept locked but at Christmas time they are open for visitors). Unfortunately many of the early cribs were made of wood and terracotta and have not reached us.
At the beginning of 16th century St. Gaetano of Thiene added a new element to the crib tradition by introducing additional figures beside the main characters of the Holy Family. In the 17th and 18th century crib making flourished in Rome, Genoa, Sicily and especially in Naples, whose cribs are notorious for the accuracy of their details and for the variety of characters. In fact the skill of the crib figurine makers of Via S. Gregorio Armeno in Naples (also called Christmas Alley) is so noteworthy that they have been included by UNESCO in the list of World Patrimony of the Humanity.
In short, presepi have developed into a genuine and independent art form, and some towns have huge permanent cribs with hundreds of figurines (as well as the Holy Family with an ox and a donkey there will be the three Kings, angels, shepherds, bagpipe players, craftsmen, animals and all sorts of characters, sometimes even with mechanical movements) set in an animated scenery (like waterfalls, windmills, burning fires and light changes for day and night). As tradition demands, Joseph and Mary await the happy event by an empty manger in which the little figure of baby Jesus will be placed on Christmas eve. At the same time, the three Kings are made to advance day after day towards the stable as the nativity approaches, and they will finally reach it on the Epiphany.
Cribs large and small can be found everywhere in Florence from private homes to restaurants, street corners and grottoes, but of course the most notable artistic examples can be found in churches and convents across the city including the Duomo, Sant'Ambrogio, San Marco, the Carthusian Monastery at Galluzzo, the Cathedral of Fiesole and many more.
At Christmas time the Basilica of San Lorenzo has been holding for about thirty years a competition for the best crib made by children, mostly school groups. The works entered in the competition are displayed in the cloister and voted by visitors. There are cribs made from all sorts of materials such as bread, coffee beans, pasta, soap, wax, wood, shells, nails, stones, nuts, straw, newspapers, tins, matchsticks and... well, you name it! There are also a number of artistic and international cribs on show.
Lastly - of a wholly different nature but equally worth a visit if you haven't been there already - let me mention the nativity scene painted by Benozzo Gozzoli in the tiny Magi chapel of Palazzo Medici Riccardi on via Cavour, where every inch is lavishly frescoed with the Three Kings and their follow riding to Bethlehem.
By the way, why don't you consider bringing a few presepe figurines back home as a souvenir or for Christmas gifts?
MORE