Many towns in Sicily annually create elaborate live nativity scenes like this one I saw in 2019 in Custonaci (Trapani Province). These dioramas featuring townspeople acting out iconic moments and everyday activities from past times create a sense of wonder. Presepe Vivente are a reason to visit Sicily during Christmas.
Tag: santo stefano
Saint Stephen’s Day in Sicily
Today is Saint Stephen’s Day, a national holiday in Italy. Sicilians and Italians spend the day with family and friends visiting presepi di Natale, or nativity scenes, like this one pictured, made by Zio Lillo in Sant’Angelo Muxaro, north of Agrigento. Even more elaborate are ones presented by actors or townspeople dressed as the Holy…
The Day After Christmas in Sicily
Today, Saint Stephen’s Day, is a national holiday in Italy. Sicilians and Italians spend the day with family and friends visiting presepi di Natale, or nativity scenes, like this one pictured from Chiesa di San Bartolomeo in Scicli. Even more elaborate are ones presented by actors or townspeople dressed as the Holy Family, accompanied by…
Glaze the Town
Santo Stefano di Camastra on Sicily’s north coast has had a tradition of creating ceramic arts for many centuries. The townspeople started to exploit nearby clay pits to make tiles, earthenware, and bricks, certainly during medieval times, but more likely, centuries before. This image is from a series of painted tiles in one of the…
Go See Where You Gotta Go
One summer evening in Santo Stefano di Camastra.