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The Presepio in German speaking countries
The tradition of the Presepio, as part of Christmas celebrations,
is very popular in German speaking countries, particular those rooted
in the Catholic faith, such as Austria, Bavaria, Cologne where,
in the cathedral, according to a legend there are the earthly remains
of the astrologers or "Three Wise Men", brought here from
Constantinople by the Empress Helena. In fact such is the devotion
to the Three Kings or Wise Men that still today on the eve of the
Epiphany children dress up as kings and the head of the family burns
incense in the home and in the stable, and the initials G M B Gaspar,
Melchior and Baldassar are written over the doorway as a blessing.
Many regions still keep the custom of "searching for an Inn"
for which small Presepio are built and carried from home to home,
looking precisely for "somewhere to stay". In Tyrol, at
Thaur, the village of the Presepio, it is the custom to visit with
a guide Nativity Scenes set up in all the homes which display a
sign in the window: "WEIHNACHTSKRIPPE" (Nativity Scene).
Steyr, a town northern Austria, has a very rare Presepio, the only
with one mechanical figures left in Europe, also has a Baby Jesus
Post Office opened in 1950 with its own Christmas Eve post mark.
The post office receives and answers letters from children all over
the world. The larger churches in Bavaria have permanent Nativity
Scenes, to which are added diorama on the life of Jesus or scenes
of the Old Testament, for periods of four to six weeks in keeping
with the liturgy celebrated during the year. Many cities such as
Munich, Nuermberg, Augsburg are renowned for Christmas markets.
People come to buy statues for the Presepio, decorations, candles,
sweets and cookies and children ride in pony drawn coaches, while
musicians play the world famous Silent Night carol composed by Franz
Gruber on Christmas Eve in 1818, at Oberdorf near Salzburg. .
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Fides News
Fides
News 2004