Living Nativity and Descent of the Star

The St. Stephen's Living Nativity in Trevi nel Lazio

On December 26th, St. Stephen's Day, the center of Trevi nel Lazio comes alive with the Living Nativity and the Descent of the Star, one of the most cherished Christmas events in the upper Aniene Valley. Starting at 6:00 PM, Piazza IV Novembre and Viale Cesare Battisti provide the backdrop for the Nativity reenactment: costumed actors bring scenes from the Gospel story to life in an intimate atmosphere that involves the entire village community and visitors arriving for the festivities.

The Descent of the Star

The moment that gives the event its name is the Descent of the Star: the comet star, the symbol that in Christian tradition guides the Magi to the stable in Bethlehem, descends over the village to accompany the Nativity representation. On a winter evening, amidst the lights of the festive village, it is a highly evocative image that distinguishes the Trevi living nativity from others in the Lazio region and attracts families and curious onlookers from neighboring towns every year.

A medieval village in the Monti Simbruini

Trevi nel Lazio is an ancient mountain village in the province of Frosinone, nestled at an altitude of over 800 meters within the Monti Simbruini Regional Natural Park, not far from the springs of the Aniene river. The village is dominated by the Castello Caetani, the fortress purchased in 1299 by Pietro Caetani, brother of Pope Boniface VIII, which still crowns the highest point of the settlement today. Stone alleys, medieval vistas, and the snow-capped landscape of the surrounding mountains make the Christmas period one of the best times to discover this authentic corner of the Ciociaria mountains, in the Lazio Region.

Who organizes it

The living nativity is curated by the Juvenilia association together with the parish of Trevi nel Lazio. Juvenilia is a youth movement born spontaneously to bring local young people together around new cultural spaces and shared values: throughout the year, it also hosts other community initiatives, and at Christmas, it stages the Nativity, involving the village's youth and families. The event is part of the holiday calendar promoted by the Municipality of Trevi nel Lazio in collaboration with local associations.

Christmas in Trevi nel Lazio

The living nativity is the heart of a rich Christmas program that in recent years has featured concerts by the Trevi City Band in the church of Santa Maria Assunta, workshops for children in Piazza Santa Maria Maggiore, musical reviews such as "Armonie di Natale," and the traditional bonfire lit in Piazza Suria throughout the holiday period. It is an opportunity to experience the village in its most intimate form, amidst mountain flavors and folk traditions.

When to go

The event is traditionally scheduled for December 26th starting at 6:00 PM. The 2025 edition took place as planned; for 2026, the official confirmation is expected, as usual, in late autumn: it is advisable to check dates and times on the channels of the Municipality and the Juvenilia association before traveling.