The New Normal - Christmas in Rome, part VI, 100 Crèches and hundreds more

Simply put, a creche (AKA crib, nativity scene, manger scene,  nursery, or presepio in Italian) represents the scene surrounding the birth of Jesus Christ.  Usually displayed at Christmastime, we see Jesus in the manager, Mary and Joseph, the three Wisemen, angels, shepherds, sheep, a donkey or ox, etc. in a barn or cave. Interestingly, here in Rome is the first time we have ever seen a Roman soldier in the depiction, though only twice in the many dozens of cribs we have encountered.  A nativity can be huge or tiny, old or modern,  Italian or international, sophisticated or simple, realistic or abstract, set indoors or outdoors, you name it.

Saint Peter's Basilica indoor  creche, close up 

Saint Peter's Basilica indoor creche, a small portion
There's no way to show in one picture just how huge and detailed it is!

St. Francis of Assisi created the first crib scene in 1223 in Greccio, Italy.  His was a living scene using humans and animals, and was staged in a cave.  In the year 1280, Arnolfo di Cambio created the first example in history of a non-living nativity.  He used wooden statues, some of which can still be seen today in the Chapel of Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome.

Saint Peter's Basilica, outdoor creche close up

The crib and Christmas tree in Saint Peter's square were instituted by John Paul II in 1982

Saint Peter's Basilica, outdoor creche scene
17th Century Neapolitan Nativity, the largest in Rome

The craft of creating creches was honed in Tuscany, eventually moving to Naples, and then to other Italian states. In a short amount of time, manger scenes became very popular around Italy, with reenactments mostly being replaced by statues.  The scenes became more and more elaborate and intricate, first being placed in churches, and then becoming a part of Christmas in private homes and businesses in many countries.

Seen in the window of a Vatican City shop

After World War II, Christmas trees and Santa Claus replaced nativity scenes, especially in the minds of the young.  Now the creche tradition is enjoying a revival in Italy.  They can be seen in most of Rome's 900 churches, in squares, in homes and schools, in store windows and restaurants, etc., and are enjoyed by young and old alike.

Creche at Saint Andrews Church Rome, where we attended a service on Christmas Day

Crib scene in a restaurant

Individual artists from around the world have distinctive styles when making nativity scenes. The three popular types of creche scenes are: folk (includes trades, clothing, customs of the period, as well as the countryside), Neapolitan (in two parts - first, Mistero: the traditional Mary, Joseph, Baby Jesus, angels, ox and donkey.  Also includes Diversorio: everything else, like the pub, the market, hundreds of characters, different backgrounds, etc.) and Eastern or Historical (based on a careful study of the history of the landscape and human environment of the time.)

Basilica di Santa Maria Ad Martyres/Pantheon creche, close up

Pantheon creche

In our wanderings around Rome, we saw all types of nativity scenes everywhere.  Some were simple, others more complex, and many had moving parts and lights, but all were beautiful in their own way.  Most of these cribs did not contain the baby Jesus; the infant is added to the nativities on Christmas day!

Nativity in a Vatican City shop

Basilica de Santa Francisca Romana nativity

We also had the opportunity to attend the 100 Presepi exhibition.  This tradition first began in 1976 and was an attempt to bring back the popularity of creches. 

Tuscany, Italy - ceramic

Slovenia - paper

Poland - wood, cardboard, foil paper, fabric

Piedmonte, Italy - decorated packaging cardboard

I'm not sure where this one was made
Clearly the dress is not "historical", but the figures are very life-like
and the scene is beautiful

This year's Presepi is actually a display of more than 200 nativity scenes; the original title of 100 Presepi is an historical reference as that was the number of creches displayed in the first edition.  The cribs are housed in the Santa Maria del Popolo church, and we walked through, admiring the nativities at our own pace.

Croatia - copper foil

Austria - Austrian poor and popular technique

Udine, Italy

Puglia, Italy - paper  mache polychrome

Lazio, Italy - ink, bronze guild

Lazio, Italy - wood

Although most of the scenes were created in Italy, fifty of them come from other locations like North and South America, Europe, Asia, and Africa.  Some are clearly the work of artists, while others were created by amateurs.  Some are from museums or collectors, and some have been built by craftspeople or students of the craft.  Some actually make a political statement (I'm not sure how I feel about this.)

Lazio, Italy - Virgin Mary, Woman and Jesus' Mother, Hope Against Femicide
Wood, paper, plastic. This display is definitely making a political/societal statement, whose meaning is unclear to this non-Italian speaker


Iraq - Nativity Scene Between Natural Disasters and Man's Destruction
Another with political connotations

Lazio, Italy - cork, seeds, spices, wool
Magnifying glass to see the miniature under the small, glass dome

Lazio, Italy - teaspoon, brass nails

Lazio, Italy - used car parts

Cribs come in all sizes and shapes, and are made of all sorts of materials including wood, ceramic, clay, paper mache, and even cellophane, car parts and recycled materials.

Bacilicata, Italy - terracotta, tuff

Lazio, Italy - paper mache, clay.

Calabria, Italy - glass, crystal

Calabria, Italy - cooking film

Lazio, Italy - paper, cardboard

The pictures we took simply do not do justice to these works of art.  Seeing these beautiful  creches in the exhibit and around the city of Rome, and considering their meaning, made for a very moving experience.

I'm not sure where this nativity was made
I like the stained glass, which you don't see much in Roman churches

Basilicata, Italy - cork, wood paste

Guatamala

Dominican Republic, wood - The Migrants of the Sea

Croatia - wood, leather, textile

This nativity was one of my favorites and I don't know where it was made.  It you look in the center, the blue portion looks like a photo. but there is actually another scene back there, complete with bubbling brook and a wooden ship.

The New Normal - Christmas in Rome, part V, Vatican City cont., Saint Peters Basilica

Christmas Eve day was quiet around the Eternal city.  Richard and I hung out at the residence in the morning, and around noon headed over to Vatican City for the second time since arriving in Rome on Tuesday.

This photo give the perspective of the immense size of the columns in Saint Peters Square

We had already seen the Museums and Saint Peter's Square, as well as the outside of Saint Peter's Basilica a few days before.  Today's goal was to get in to see the interior of what is arguably one of the most famous and important Christian religious sites in the world.

Judy in front of the facade of Saint Peter's Basilica

First a little about Saint Peter's Piazza . . . 

At the foot of this late Renaissance church is Saint Peter's Piazza.  This plaza is one of the largest in the world, measuring 320 by 240 meters.  Designed and built by Bernini from 1656-1667, the expansive space is surrounded by 284 columns arranged in rows of four.  There are 140 statues of saints along the roof line above the columns.  The square can hold a staggering 300,000 people and provides a majestic view of the Basilica.  

Saint Peter's Square, the basilica is off to the left

One of two fountains in the piazza

One of two clocks made by G. Validier, this one is on the left side of the facade,
underneath are the six bells

A few of the 284 columns

At this time of year a beautiful lighted Christmas tree and a large creche scene are situated near the obelisk, nestled between the two fountains in the square.  It was quite impressive standing there both in the daytime and in the evening, imaging the Pope giving an address to a huge flock of followers.

Creche scene on the piazza in front of the basilica

Dusk on the square

The dome atop Saint Peter's 

Saint Peter's Basilica on Christmas Eve

And now for the building . . . 

The original Saint Peter's was built in the 4th century on this site based on the belief that it is the burial place of Saint Peter, one of the twelve apostles of Christ.  Recently, in 1953, excavations were done and some bones from a man in his 60's (about the same age Peter would have been) were found. There was also some purple cloth from the same time period found with the body.  So, who knows!

Seats set up for the Christmas Eve papal mass
We ordered tickets months ago to attend, but having to stand up and wait for hours to get in proved to be too much for us oldies.  Instead we attended a low-key Christmas eve mass at the Pantheon.

Bernini's Baldacchini, four-poster, solid bronze canopy over the main altar, 10 stories tall (96 feet); used 100,000 pounds of bronze believed to have been taken from the Pantheon roof!

Anyway, the old building was in disrepair, so Pope Julius II decided to tear  it down.  Unfortunately, many statues, mosaics and other ancient art was destroyed in the process.  But, that's the price we paid for the building of this stunning Renaissance temple.

One of the smaller domes with natural light shinning through

I love the way the sun shines through the windows (I have not seen much stained glass in Rome)

The Saint Peter's  standing today was constructed during the years 1506-1626, has an area of more than 35,000 square meters on 5.7 acres of land, and can hold up to 60,000 people.  We could really feel its vastness immediately upon entering.  

The basilica is the result of the creative energies of many artists and the interior is lavishly decorated.  It has 45 altars, 11 chapels, 390 statues, marbled floors of many colors and patterns/themes, and 10,000 square meters of mosaics.  At first glance, you may think you are seeing frescos and other paintings on the walls and ceilings.  In fact, they are actually mosaics; I can't imagine the amount of time it took to create these works of art.

A portion of one of the pattereed, marble floors

Many works of art are housed there, including Michelangelo's Pieta (1499), meaning 'pity' in Italian, AKA Virgin Holding the Dead Body of Christ.    French Cardinal Jean de Billheres commissioned the work for his funeral, which is carved from a single slab of marble.  He wanted to be remembered and asked the 24-year-old artist to create "the most beautiful work of marble in Rome, one that no living artist could better."  Michelangelo was confident even at that young age, and it is said that this work is, in fact, his finest, even better than David or the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel.  An interesting aside; in 1972, a Hungarian man jumped over the railing and hit the statue with a hammer 12 times, badly damaging it.  It took ten months to restore Pieta, and now it is housed behind bulletproof glass.  The perpetrator was not prosecuted, but rather committed for two years, and then deported.

Pieta

Pieta

The dome of Saint Peter's is a marvel in itself, is almost 137 meters high, and is covered by a huge mosaic and golden stucco.  Michelangelo decided to construct the dome smaller than the one at the Pantheon saying "I could build one bigger, but not more beautiful than that of the Pantheon."  

Michelangelo started the dome in 1547, and the artist was able to complete only the base before he died. Upon his death, his pupil Giacomo della Porta finished the rest in 1590.   Giant gold letters on the base read (translated from the Latin), "You are 'Rock' and on this rock I will build my Church, to you I will give the keys to the kingdom of heaven."  Mathew 16:18-19.

The dome

The dome, with some of the gold writing

 Located inside Saint Peters, the grand-daddy of creche scenes, 
with moving figures and twinkly star lights; this is only a very small part of it
No baby Jesus until Christmas

Merry Christmas Dad, Mom and everybody!