Living Nativity at the Sanctuary of Carpignano

A living nativity on the hill of Carpignano

About five kilometers from the center of Grottaminarda, in the province of Avellino, the hamlet of Carpignano guards one of the most frequented places of devotion in Irpinia: the Sanctuary of Maria SS. di Carpignano, overlooking the Ufita Valley at over six hundred meters above sea level. In the days between Christmas and Epiphany, the hill surrounding the Sanctuary becomes the natural stage for the Living Nativity, a performance that weaves together popular faith, rural memory, and community theater.

This is not a simple static scene: those who arrive here, usually at dusk, walk through a small village reconstructed with period costumes and traditional tools, where families from Grottaminarda and neighboring towns bring the characters of the Nativity to life. It is one of the most heartfelt Christmas events in this part of the Campania region.

The legend of the discovery of the Virgin

What makes this nativity scene different from many others is the scene that the community considers its own: the discovery of the Virgin's painting. According to tradition, around 1150, a painted panel depicting the Madonna and Child - the Black Madonna still venerated today - was found in the trunk of a large hornbeam tree (carpino), the tree that gave the locality its name. Around that tree, a first small church was built, and over the centuries, the Sanctuary.

In the living nativity, the story of the discovery is entrusted to the voice of an elder, who narrates it to visitors as one would do in front of a hearth: a simple device that turns the re-enactment into a true theatrical performance and explains to those arriving from outside why this hill is a destination for pilgrimage all year round.

The Mercedarian Friars and the youth of the Sanctuary

The event is directed by the Mercedarian Friars, present in Carpignano since 1901, together with the Mercedarian Youth Movement and the parishioners. The local press notes that the fathers have been organizing the performance for about twenty-five years; after the long break due to the pandemic, the living nativity has returned to the stage, attracting hundreds of the faithful and curious.

The January 2025 edition saw the participation, alongside the rector Father Antonio Venuta, of Father Giovanni Di Talia, Father Nicola De Rienzo, and Father Ashok, with coordination by Raffaella Bruno and Giulia Cardia; the musical part was contributed by the Sanctuary's White Voices Choir and the adult choir directed by Tiziana Longobardi.

What to see along the route

• Period costumes and settings of Palestine at the time of the Nativity;
• the workshops of ancient crafts, from blacksmiths to village artisans;
• the birth of Jesus and the arrival of the Three Wise Men, the highlight of the performance;
• the scene of the discovery of the shrine with the Black Madonna, the heart of local tradition;
• the songs of the Sanctuary choirs, which accompany the route.

Part of the 'It's Christmas Time' program

The living nativity is one of the flagship events of È tempo di Natale (It's Christmas Time), the program promoted by the Municipality of Grottaminarda which fills the town with initiatives from December 1st to January 6th: the Immaculate Conception Fair on December 8th with lights, markets, and food and wine, the Night of the Bonfires of Saint Lucy, the Carpignano InCanto Christmas Concert in the Sanctuary, the Christmas Tombolata, the Day of Peace at the d'Aquino Castle, and the Befana Festival.

During the same period, the Sanctuary hosts the Nativity Scene Exhibition, set up in the hermit's room and the crypts, where one can also admire an 18th-century Neapolitan nativity scene: a visit that naturally pairs with the evening of the living nativity.

When to go and how to plan

The dates change from year to year but always fall during the Christmas period, in the evening: in the last documented edition, the events took place on December 28th and January 5th, starting at 6:30 PM. It is therefore advisable to check the calendar on the channels of the Sanctuary and the Municipality of Grottaminarda before setting off.

The hill of Carpignano, in winter, is cool and breezy: comfortable shoes and warm clothing are highly recommended, also because a good part of the route takes place outdoors.