The making of nativity scene (Holy Crib) is a very ancient tradition in Sicily. One of the classic traditions that has remained most alive, ever, even resisting the “invasion” of Santa Claus and the famous Christmas tree. Once upon a time, for Sicilians, the Holy Crib was the center of the Christmas celebration – as it should always be. And around it, on December evenings, adults and children would gather to sing, pray and … eat, of course! But the nativity scenes of the Etna area have something more than the others in Sicily. And that “extra” is the mandarins (or citrus fruits in general) and the inevitable volcanoes, which do not appear on the scene elsewhere.

Why put mandarins in the Crib?

Why did the Etna people use (and use still today) to put mandarins, or citrus fruits, in their Holy Cribs? As always happens in ancient traditions, it is a mix of the sacred and the profane. Citrus fruits, winter products par excellence, were the propitiatory symbol for a rich and lucky harvest. They were therefore offered to Baby Jesus as a prayer for well-being in the new year.

But citrus fruits were also a decorative and colorful element, handed down from grandparents and great-grandparents who did not have money to buy sceneries. With citrus fruits, so, they created that color – and also that scent! – that immediately gave the air of celebration to the house. In some houses it was traditional custom to also keep the peel of mandarins and light small candles inside; the flame would burn the peel, thus creating a real natural ambient aroma.

The volcano in the Crib

Etna is a cumbersome and constant presence in the lives of the people who have their home there. This immense active volcano that always rumbles, that often erupts coloring the night and that in any case can be seen from every cardinal point cannot be missing!

And it doesn’t matter that no volcano exists in Palestine. The presence of Etna in the Holy Crib is a way of welcoming “in the family” this “sacred” mountain that is in fact part of us all. The volcanoes in the nativity scenes are usually built by using rock paper, real lapilli expelled from Etna or by creating the conical shape of the mountain with very specific plastic arts (terracotta, for example).

Living nativity scenes

Some towns on the Ionian coast organize living nativity scenes and historical reproductions of the birth of Christ. It is not uncommon, therefore, to attend these shows with – in the background – a real eruption of Mount Etna! Anyone who has been lucky enough to capture a similar scene will surely have felt unique shivers.

But with or without an eruption, wandering around the living nativity scenes of Etna is a pleasure, especially during the Christmas holidays. Rely on a good guide to get to know the area better and then decide, based on the information, which nativity scene you will visit. We point out some of the most beautiful:

• in Caltagirone;
• in Biancavilla;
• the Living Nativity of the Altarello Village;
• the Living Nativity of Mascali;
• that of Motta Sant’Anastasia.

In the living nativity scenes, in addition to the “real” volcano, are there also real mandarins? Yes, of course. And often they are actually there, crates full of succulent, tasty citrus fruits, which are given or sold to visitors by the person who plays the farmer-shepherd character.

(PHOTOS: G. MUSUMECI)