The Christmas Fire

A bonfire that lights up Christmas Eve

In Giuliano di Roma, a small town in the province of Frosinone nestled between the Sacco and Amaseno valleys, the night of December 24th is about more than just illuminated houses and festive tables. It is, above all, the night of the Christmas Fire: a massive woodpile, built by hand with near-architectural precision, which is ignited in front of the parish church and burns late into the night, while the village gathers around the flames in anticipation of midnight mass.

The origins: warming those walking to mass

The tradition dates back to the early 1900s. At the time, the fire served a very practical purpose: to warm the faithful who, coming from the rural districts scattered around the historic center, walked down toward the church carrying torches and lanterns. The bonfire was the destination of their journey, the place where people met, recognized one another, and waited together for the start of the service. From that practical gesture, an identity-defining ritual was born, passed down from generation to generation without interruption.

The Fochisti Giulianesi

Behind the fire is a group of volunteers well-known to the village: The Fochisti Giulianesi (also referred to as Fochisti Giglianisi, in the local dialect). They handle every phase, and the work begins many days before Christmas Eve:

• selecting the wood, chosen for quality and burn efficiency;
• transporting the logs to the church square;
• cutting and arranging the pieces;
• building the structure, which must stand tall, burn for a long time, and remain safe.

Among the historic figures of the group are Giuseppe Biasini and Antonio Luzi. In the 2025 edition, the volunteers worked tirelessly even under pouring rain to ensure the village did not miss its appointment. The same group has distinguished itself in other community efforts, such as the restoration of the historic Cross on Monte Siserno.

Experiencing the evening

This is not an event staged for tourism: it is a spontaneous, participatory village festival. Around the fire, children, families, the elderly, and young people who have returned home for the holidays mingle. People chat, exchange greetings, and share a drink to stay warm. The lighting, the highlight of the evening, is traditionally entrusted to the mayor: in 2025, it was performed by Adriano Lampazzi, with Deputy Mayor Antonio Lampazzi standing alongside the Fochisti. Then, the bells call everyone to midnight mass, and the square slowly empties while the embers continue to glow.

The context: Ciociaria and winter fires

The Christmas Fire of Giuliano di Roma belongs to a family of rituals widespread throughout central-southern Italy, from the Ciociarian fucaracci to the bonfires of Abruzzo and Calabria. It is a popular liturgy with roots in ancient customs linked to the winter solstice and the Yule log, later absorbed by Christian tradition: the fire as light that conquers the longest night, as purification, and as a sign of rebirth at the beginning of the new year.

A village worth visiting

Visitors arriving for the fire will also find a medieval historic center, the Castrum Iuliani, which in the Middle Ages controlled a stretch of the Via Marittima between Rome and the South and hosted popes such as Eugene III (1151) and Innocent III (1208). A fiefdom of the Counts of Ceccano and later the Colonna family until 1816, the village preserves alleys, picturesque corners, and a panoramic view of the valley. The patron saint is Saint Blaise, celebrated on February 3rd, and local customs include the Vaccarella infiocchettata for newly ordained priests. However, the Christmas Fire remains the event that, more than any other, tells the story of what it means to be from Giuliano di Roma, in southern Lazio.