At Christmas, the representation of the Living Nativity returns to San Piero a Grado. The living nativity scene was born in San Piero a Grado in 1997, as a simple representation of the birth of Jesus told with the verses of Gozzano, at the behest of the parish priest Don Mario Stefanini and the community. A Christian tradition that consists of a short theatrical representation with the aim of telling the birth of Jesus using scenes that recreate the nativity setting. The first living nativity scene in history is attributed to San Francesco d'Assisi, in the village of Greccio (Rieti) in 1223. Tradition has spread throughout Italy and in other Christian countries, and the inhabitants are usually the inhabitants of the place.

 

During these 20 years, the nativity scene, consisting of 200 figures, has been perfected with lights and music throughout the area of the representation and increasingly numerous positions and attention to detail. At the entrance you are greeted with the census where visitors can leave a mark of their passage as they enter the city of Bethlehem. The obligatory route includes a visit to the palace of Herod where the changing of the guard is periodically carried out, then continues with the various workshops of the carpenter, the blacksmith, the bread, the fruit market, the temple doctors, the merciaia, the grinder, the laundress and the two taverns where Maria and Giuseppe, during the traditional route, do not find a place for the night. At the entrance and in the center of the crib are also placed two gabelles in which visitors can exchange the euro with talents, coins specially minted for representation, essential to savor what is prepared in the various locations: focaccia, ricotta and cheese, ham, roasted chestnuts and boiling wine to warm up the most chilly. Finally, close to the apse of the Basilica on the sea side is the hut, with the donkey and the ox, where the Savior is born, visited by the Magi led by a bright star.

 

The Living Nativity Scene will be held on the evening of December 24th at 8.30pm and the afternoon of December 26th at 5.30pm.