8590 Does this happen all over Italy?

We have just spent our first Christmas and New Year in Le Marche and we were knocked out by the Presepio Vivente in our little town Mogliano. (See Angie and Robert's post in the Le Marche section). The first one, on Dec 24, was a tableau crib scene 'starring' children who were kitted out splendidly. Baby Jesus, reclining in the straw, wore a golden wig and knitted bootees and the angels all had yellow knitted hair. They were in a stable type room at the back of a convent and crowds stood outside in the cold to be admitted. The second one, on Dec 26, involved lots of townsfolk as it was a walk round the centro storicho where various scenes from the Christmas story were illustrated. Roman soldiers guarded the Palace and Herod's house and manned the Census point. The Anunciation was acted by teenagers, and families involved themselves in portraying bakers, potters, various assorted traders, shepherds with bagpipes and in traditional costume, cooks, laundry, wine sellers, even lepers, and the whole thing led you round to the stable scene with a real small baby, oxen, donkey and lambs. It was delightful; photos available! Does this happen all over Italy or just in Le Marche? I notice the one in San Severino publishes a 2008 calender illustrated with scenes from their P V.

Annie.

Category
General chat about Italy

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 01/14/2008 - 12:32

Yes, it does take place all over Italy. Some are more famous than others. You can get information through: [url=http://spazioinwind.libero.it/presepe/altri.htm]presepi viventi italiani[/url]
Very enjoyable!

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 01/14/2008 - 16:31

We attended the last performance of the Presepe Vivere in Santa Domenica Talao on 6th January - Epiphany.
Apparently it was their first year and they had been doing it all of Christmas week and the weekend between Christmas & Epiphany as well as New Year's day.
We were similarly blown away by it and it was the icing on the cake of our wonderful first Christmas and New Year since we moved here permanently.
Lesley

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 01/14/2008 - 16:39

We went to one in a village near us on Jan 6th, luckily with friends who were involved, subsequencely we were invited to a meal on Sat night for all the players.
2 courses of different pasta, sausages and salad, dessert and fruit plus unlimited vine, cost E5 each, can't be bad.

Stribs

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 01/15/2008 - 02:39

What I find very important in these "presepi" is the feeling of community involvement and participation. Also, it reminds everyone of the true meaning of Christmas, something I sadly feel is lost in so many places.

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 01/20/2008 - 02:19

In our village we have a circuit of presepi all of which have a separate theme. Not so many this year but Christmas 2006 we must have had around a dozen. The organisers set up a stand at the entrance to the village and handed out a route map so that visitors could tour the various presepi in sequence. They vary from life size statues to small window displays. Some are open all day, others evenings only. I'm toying with doing one myself next year and being part of the tour. V
ps: should stress we don't have any of the "living" variety, though some people did consider this.

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 01/20/2008 - 03:44

In Bagni di Lucca there was a beautiful display of different locally made "presepi" during the last two weeks in November and the whole of December. It was organised by the Comune and it showed the work of the local "presepi" makers. There was a raffle to win one of these beautiful Nativity scenes. I guess I did not win, in spite of buying several tickets, but my neighbours, who are well known "presepi" makers gave me one as a gift for Christmas.

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 01/20/2008 - 13:40

D'accordo! On Christmas Eve, we visited the Presepe Vivente at Equiterme and it was just wonderful. As Anniet2 described, we wandered through the borgo, past live tableaux, ending with the nativity scene, inside the entrance to the caves - quite a magical start to Christmas.