Tag: christmas in rome

Christmas in Rome: festivity lights and Colosseo for you

CC BY-NC-ND 2.0, Emma Gawen

 

Rome is one of the top Italian tourist place to visit during the Christmas holidays. The celebration of Christmas actually originated from here. Why? It is recorded that the first Christmas mass was hold at the Church of Santa Maria Maggiore. For the Rome Jubilee in 1300 it was created a permanent nativity, the first ever known.

So we are here and where is the party? The magnificent Christmas sights during the Christmas  season starts from early December and goes through Epiphany, meaning on January 6. Rome’s main streets are decorated with shining lights: underneath musicians entertain the visitors passing by and vendors sell  exquisite roasted chestnuts. For a Christmas shopping it is better to venture in the little streets close Piazza di Spagna. Close to Castel Sant’Angelo instead you can find an outdoor ice skating rink, open daily from 10:00 to midnight, and close there is also a small Christmas market.
Each year you can visit the huge Christmas tree in Saint Peter’s Square: for the life-size nativity you need to wait until Christmas Eve.Also in Saint Peter’s Square an emotional moment is the midnight mass on Christmas Eve inside Saint Peter’s Basilica and when the Pope greets the audience with his Christmas message at noon on Christmas Day from the window of Palazzi Vaticani.

In December Rome’s incredible Baroque Piazza Navona  sees the presence of a huge Christmas market. You will find stalls selling all kinds of seasonal sweets, toys, but also thi is the right time to buy nativity figures, Christmas decorations, and of course thousands of gifts. There’s a merry-go-round and  Father Christmas, makes his funny appearance to amuse the kids…and the grown-ups. A large nativity scene finds its place in the square later in December.
Fantastic are the nativity scenes in the main churches: in Santa Maria Maggiore there is the oldest “presepe“, a  permanent nativity scene which was carved in marble by Arnolfo di Cambio in the late 13th century, on display in the museum of Santa Maria Maggiore. Here again, below the altar, you can find a reliquary which is said to contain pieces of the original manger!!!

The Church of Saints Cosma and Damiano displays one of the largest nativity scenes. commissioned by Charles II of Naples to six master woodcarvers, who worked on the scene from 1780 through 1820.  This is the presepe that started the Naples style nativity!

Rome celebrates also with the large Jewish population it presents. Hanukkah is an important holiday celebrated in December for the Jewish world. A large Menorrah is present in Piazza Barberini: one candle is lit up each night during the Hanukkah period.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year in Rome

Rome is one of the top Italian city to visit during the Christmas holiday season.  The first Christmas mass was at the Church of Santa Maria Maggiore and the earliest known permanent nativity was carved for the Rome Jubilee in 1300.

From early December through Epiphany on January 6, Piazza Navona, Rome’s famous Baroque square, is a huge Christmas market! All kinds of Christmas sweets, toys, nativity figures, decorations, and gifts: you can find those here.  A large nativity scene is in the square later in December, too.
Each year a huge Christmas tree is in Saint Peter’s Square. A life-size nativity is not unveiled until Christmas Eve. Thousands of visitors gather in Saint Peter’s Square when the Pope says midnight mass on Christmas Eve inside Saint Peter’s Basilica and delivers his Christmas message at noon on Christmas Day.

The Church of Saints Cosma and Damiano displays one of the largest nativity scenes (open Friday – Sunday except in August, 9:00-1:00 and 3:00-6:00). Charles II of Naples wanted it: you can find not just religious figures but people from everyday life. Six master woodcarvers worked on the scene from 1780 through 1820, adding new figures each year. The city of Rome bought it and restored it in the 1930’s.

In the 16th century, a statue was carved from a piece of olive wood from the Garden of Gethsemane. Returning to Rome, the ship sank but the famous statue washed up on shore. It was blessed by the Pope and kept in the Church of Santa Maria Aracoeli on the Colle Capitolinol. In the early 1990’s, the original was unfortunetely robbed and  a new piece of olive wood was requested to carve a reproduction. In Rome children use to write their Christmas letters to Santo Bambino. On Christmas Eve the statue is put in the church’s presepe and on January 6. Thousands of people gather for the procession.

But is the nativity in Santa Maria Maggiore maybe the oldest presepe or permanent nativity scene, carved in marble by Arnolfo di Cambio in the late 13th century. Below the altar is a reliquary said to containwith apparently some pieces coming from the original manger.

Rome has also a large Jewish population and Hanukkah is another important celebration in December. A large Menorrah is set up in Piazza Barberini: only one candle lit up each night during the Hanukkah season.