November 6th, 2015 – “Uncle Alfonso had ‘graduated’ in nativity scenes and knew all about the traditions of Christmas, the first nativity scene made by St. Jerome in the 4th century CE, and one made 8 centuries later by St. Francis. For him, San Gregorio Armeno Street, where Neapolitan artisans make nativity scenes, was a sacred place equal to St. Peter’s Square.” This is Luciano De Crescenzo describing what nativity scenes represent for Naples and Neapolitans. The topic will be the subject of a conference on “Tradition and crafts, discovering the Neapolitan nativity scenes”, organized for November 11 (at 7pm) at the Italian Cultural Institute in Cologne, which will see Professor Dieter Richter of Bremen make an intervention in German. The initiative is sponsored by the Friends of the Institute. “With the approach of the Christmas season – reads the Institute’s presentation statement – prof. Richter will speak of Neapolitan nativity scenes. Whoever walked through Via San Gregorio Armeno in Naples knows what it is and have witnessed the special relationship Neapolitans with nativity scenes, which not only evoke the sacred events of Bethlehem, but are also a very realistic representation of street life in a metropolis like Naples. The conference, which will feature pictures of many art pieces, presents the history and the importance of this particular form of artistic expression. ” (Red)
