Page 5 - Italian American Herald - December 2019

FROM THE COVER
Molise, Puglia and Lazio.
The traditional dress of the piper is made
of short breeches with crisscrossed leather leggings known as ciociari, sheepskin vests with a woolen cloak and peaked cap; there are regional variations such as velvet jackets or neckerchiefs, but the look of the piper remains much as it has for centuries.
Legend tells us of shepherds who visited the Virgin Mary in Bethlehem who took out their bagpipes and began to play music after gazing upon the baby Jesus. In keeping with the legend, the pipers will stop at public Nativity scenes for a few minutes of quiet contemplation.
Historically, the piper is accompanied by a shawm, a medieval woodwind instrument; however, today’s pipers are usually accompanied by an oboe player. They play traditional music, the best-known song is the popular Christmas hymn, “Tu scendi dalle stele” (You come down from the stars). This much-loved song was written by St. Alphonsus Maria de ’Liguori, the bishop of Sant’Agata de’ Goti. While you might think
it would be difficult to find zampognari in our region, it is not impossible. Some local churches hire them during the Christmas season, and they can be found with an internet search under Zampognari di Filadelfia.
Another widespread tradition in Italy,
which over the centuries has spread to many Catholic countries and today can be found in almost every Italian-American home, is decorating homes with presepi, or Christmas cribs. Most churches, as well as other public areas and many Italian homes, will have at least one nativity scene on display. Styles vary and may depict just the holy family or
a whole village, but the baby Jesus is usually added only on Christmas Eve. Sometimes, contemporary characters such as Mayor Bill DiBlasio, Silvio Berlusconi and Italian soccer players are included too.
In Rome, an annual exhibition displays 100 different cribs from all over the world, including miniscule versions carved into nuts, and all kinds of materials – even pasta.
In Rome, crowds gather in St. Peter’s Square for the Pope’s evening Mass on Christmas Eve. At noon on Christmas Day, he appears at the basilica’s balcony to give his blessing. He’ll also be the one to add the baby Jesus to the Vatican’s life-size nativity on the Dec. 24.
Christmas Eve was traditionally a day of fasting before Christmas for Catholics, with festivities starting only after the evening Mass. This is still observed in some families, and the evening meal, known as the “Feast of Seven Fishes,” is usually based on seafood rather than meat. Clams and oysters are often
used as they are seen as luxurious.
Italian Christmas celebrations are still very much based on their religious roots. At midnight on Christmas Eve, churches ring their bells and cannons are fired from Rome’s Castel Sant’Angelo to celebrate the birth of baby Jesus. Visitors
A scene from an elaborate Neapolitan presepio depicts a poulter and his family selling their assortment of poultry products.
ITALIAN-AMERICAN HERALD
DECEMBER 2019 | ITALIANAMERICANHERALD.COM 5
in Italy on Christmas
Eve can find many
Christmas-themed services and concerts at local churches. These are beautiful to enjoy even by non-religious visitors.
On Christmas Day, the food served for the main meal known as Cenone varies from region to region, but meat is normally back on the menu, often accompanied by pasta. The meal is followed by panettone, a sweet bread loaf of Milanese origin. Other desserts filled with nuts, which were historically a symbol of fertility for the coming year, are enjoyed by all.
Christmas in Italy is a family affair, and as well as writing to Santa Claus or Babbo Natale, the Italian name for Santa, to request the latest must-haves, it is traditional for
children to write letters to their parents, telling them how much they love them. The letters are usually decorated and tied up beautifully and are read out after Christmas lunch.
Although nowadays many children receive presents from Babbo Natale on Christmas Eve, a uniquely Italian tradition is that of La Befana, the old witch-like woman who brings gifts on Epiphany Eve. Legend has it the Three Wise Men came to her house and invited her to join their search for Christ. She would not go because she was too busy with housework but later changed her mind. To this day she is still searching for the child and leaves presents for any good children she comes across. IAH
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