Villages and nativity scenes in Sutrio, open air exhibition in the mountains of Carnia, in Friuli Venezia Giulia

More than 100 nativity scenes , mainly made of wood, but also made with other materials, are placed en plein air in the courtyards, under the porticoes of the characteristic houses of the historic center of the town, in the small squares and along the stone-paved streets. The town is festively decorated , with large Christmas trees made of recycled wood created by the town's artisans, lights, wreaths and Christmas compositions. The event is accompanied by a large series of events (from folklore to gastronomy), which enliven the town throughout the festive period: the gestures and customs handed down from generation to generation are repeated, the most traditional Christmas dishes and drinks are tasted .

The Nativity scene in the Vatican: from St. Peter's Square in Rome it has returned to Sutrio
The heart of Villages and Nativity Scenes is the large Nativity scene that was displayed in St. Peter's Square in Rome for Christmas 2022 . Made in Sutrio, it returned there and is now on display to the public in the small square under the Town Hall. Created by a team of artists and wood craftsmen active for some time in Sutrio and Friuli Venezia Giulia, it is composed of 18 life-size statues in cedar wood arranged on a surface of 116 square meters and illuminated by 50 light points . To frame the statues, the cave (also made of wood) with a dome 5.65 meters high and 41 m2. The Nativity Scene, which reflects the free inspiration and feelings of each artist involved (just as every woman and every man look, in their own way, at the mystery of the Nativity) was conceived with great attention to the values of sustainability: no trees were cut down to supply the raw material . A significant detail testifies to the project's sensitivity to nature and the mountains: the child's cradle was sculpted by Stefano Comelli, with the artist Martha Muser, in the root of a tree uprooted during the terrible Vaia storm.

From its position in the heart of the country, it marks the starting point of the event, also for the values it contains. In fact, it preserves the artisan expertise of sculptors: a craft, that of wood , which is the distinctive feature of Sutrio and acts as a counterpoint to the other materials used in the artisan nativity scenes on display, so tiny that they fit in a walnut shell or with large carved statues.

The Teno Nativity Scene: a true Ethnographic Museum
Another interesting attraction of the event is the large Teno Nativity Scene , created over the course of 30 years of work by Gaudenzio Straulino (1905-1988), master craftsman from Sutrio, and displayed on the ground floor of an old porticoed house. It reproduces in miniature the traditional habits and customs of the country , which are brought to life thanks to a series of perfect mechanical gears, with the alternation of day and night, the figures in movement, the water flowing in the streams. More than a nativity scene in the traditional sense of the term, Teno's is an extraordinary ethnographic insight into the traditions, life, work and customs of the Carnic mountains. The haymaking in the mountains and the transport of the hay to the valley on panniers and sleds, the women who spin and weave, the work at the mill and the sawmill, the transport of the wedding trousseau to the bride's new home, the celebration of the conscripts who cross the village on a bowed wagon...: dozens and dozens of scenes, created with philological meticulousness, describe the life and rhythms of the past and leave adults and children alike enchanted.

Villages and Nativity Scenes: activities for 2023
The event is also enriched by other special events, such as the Living Nativity Scene (7 January), with local actors and extras, who stage the nativity and the arrival of the Three Kings, and the traditional Feast of the Conscripts (26 December) which has its highlight in the afternoon parade opened by the float of eighteen year olds who are celebrated, followed by the older classes. Each year has its own flag and the oldest date back to the early 1900s.

Throughout the days of the event there will be manual and artistic workshops for adults and children involving local artisans: from creating a lantern to preparing hot chocolate, from a letter for Santa Claus to personalized candles. For the little ones there will be a journey to get to know SUTRIO PAESE PRESEPE : around 20 stages between Sutrio, Priola and Noiaris which start from Sior Matie's Ort (next to the Pro Loco office, in via Linussio 1) where they are given a map, a water bottle with hot herbal tea and a lantern to provide light along the route. Whoever finishes the entire tour receives a special surprise. Along the streets of the town there are artisan workshops involving local craftsmen and craftsmen specialized in the creation of artefacts that recall tradition: from wood to embroidery, from ceramics that recall traditional Carnic designs; but not only artefacts, also delights to taste with local products: biscuits, pancakes and frico, a typical cheese and potato pie.