During Christmas time, the Italian city of Loreto offers a vast collection of Nativity scenes. San Francesco, coming back from Palestine staged the first live Nativity in the year 1223 in an old village of central Italy. Building a nativity at home and visiting the “Presepi” is a favorite among Italian Christmas tradition for children of all ages. Loreto, a little town in the Marche region is home to one of the most visited catholic shrines, the Basilica della Santa Casa (Sanctuary of the Holy House).
Every Christmas this city adds to its charms an impressive collection of Nativity scenes, scattered all over the center of the city in churches and museums. Here the tradition of "Presepe" is still alive and cherished by the Associazione Lauretana Presepi that looks after the staging of the scenes and the national Nativity contest. The tour of the Nativity scenes will bring back childhood memories for the parents and provide magic moments for the kids.
To read about Loreto Basilica, click here
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