Valmontone Living Nativity

A tradition renewed since 1971

The Valmontone Living Nativity is one of the longest-running Nativity re-enactments in the Lazio region. The first performance dates back to December 25, 1971, when a group of Franciscan friars, at the initiative of Father Annibale Mancini, staged the nativity scene immediately after the Christmas Midnight Mass on the lawn adjacent to the Sant'Angelo Convent. Since then, the event has been held every year, reaching its 52nd edition during the 2024-2025 holiday season.

From the Arrival of the Magi to the Living Nativity

The roots of this tradition go even deeper: the living nativity was born from another ceremony, The Arrival of the Magi, which had been celebrated in Valmontone since 1963. Eight years later, that initial Magi procession evolved into the full Nativity pageant that still engages the local community today. Many performers have been involved for decades, passing their roles down through generations; for example, the Fuoriporta column of TGR Rai Lazio featured a performer who has portrayed Saint Elizabeth for over thirty years.

The Sant'Angelo Convent and the Padre Annibale Mancini Park

The event is set against the backdrop of the Sant'Angelo Convent, located on the hill of the same name just outside the historic center of Valmontone, within the Metropolitan City of Rome Capital. The scenes unfold in the green spaces of the center named after Father A. Mancini and Father G. Nardecchia, the two clergymen most closely associated with the history of the nativity scene. The hill, illuminated during the festive evenings, lends the performance a serene and evocative atmosphere.

The Performance

The Valmontone Living Nativity is a costumed re-enactment that blends tradition and emotion: performers recreate ancient crafts, the Annunciation to the shepherds, the Magi procession, and the Nativity stable. Performances are traditionally held in the late afternoon on December 26 and January 6, the day of the Epiphany, with free admission. In 2023, the event also traveled for a special, extraordinary performance in Amatrice.

In the heart of Valmontone's Christmas

The nativity scene is the most anticipated event of the Christmas in Valmontone program, promoted by the Municipality of Valmontone from December 8 to January 6. The schedule includes craft and charity markets at Palazzo Doria Pamphilj, concerts in the church of Santa Maria Maggiore, workshops for children, artistic nativity exhibitions, and, on Epiphany, the descent of the Befana followed by polenta in Piazza Umberto Pilozzi. It is a perfect opportunity to discover the village and its splendid Baroque palace less than an hour from Rome, at the gateway to the Prenestini Mountains.

Why visit

• One of the oldest Nativity re-enactments in Lazio, held annually since 1971
• The evocative setting of the illuminated Sant'Angelo Convent
• Free admission and an authentic community atmosphere
• The village's rich Christmas program, featuring markets and concerts