The Christmas Presepio in Italy

One of the most cherished devotional practices of Roman Catholics during the seasons of Advent and Christmas is the Nativity Scene —or as known in Italian—the Presepio.

This Italian word for the manger scene is derived from the Latin Præsepio, which refers to an enclosure or stockade for livestock, thus to the Bethlehem cave where animals were kept, and wherein the Blessed Virgin Mary and St. Joseph took shelter as there “was no room in the inn” to prepare for the Nativity of our Lord Jesus Christ.

In this charming booklet, Nesta De Robeck (1886-1983) briefly provides an historical account on the artistry of the Presepio devotion and how over the centuries it grew in popularity throughout Italy, and thereby in the churches and homes of Roman Catholics everywhere.

This enlarged reprint from 1934 includes 11 original pictures, 1 new picture, and an appendix with brief biographies of named artists and historical persons, and a vocabulary of some foreign terms.

Details:

Format: Booklet, illustrated, saddle-stitched

Page Count: 52