Each Italian town has its own traditions that make Christmas special. The nativity scene, called “il presepio” or “il presepe” is one such tradition.

There is a long history of symbolism
behind the setting and characters of “il presepe.” 

Since 1223, when Saint Francis of Assisi placed a manger filled with straw next to an ox and mule in a cave in the Italian town of Greccio, the nativity scene has become an integral part of the  Christmas celebration throughout Italy. This first nativity scene was created as a surprise for the townspeople for Christmas Eve mass. 

In the 13th century, Pope Boniface VIII commissioned Arnolfo di Cambio to sculpt figures from the Bible story of Jesus’ birth.  After the statues were revealed in 1283, the idea spread rapidly in the churches throughout the Kingdom of Naples. The original statues have been maintained through the years at the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome.

The tradition of creating a miniature nativity scene with life-like figurines was taken up in earnest by the artisans of Naples. Following the early Roman organization of the streets in historical Naples, via San Gregorio Armeno became the street for the artisans to create and sell nativity scenes.

San Gregorio Armeno has a central location in historical Naples, running north-south between the two major east-west streets, via dei Tribunali to the north and via San Biaggio dei Librai (also known as the famous “Spacca Napoli” or “Naples Splitter”) to the south.  The photo below of a bustling Spacca Napoli was taken on a rainy day in May 2024.

From the 16th through the 18th centuries, the Italian nativity scene as we know it today came into its final form with the inclusion of symbolic characters from daily life, clothed as would be expected for that period.

Today, via San Gregorio Armeno is still the place in all of Italy to find the most well-crafted nativity scenes and life-like figurines. All are hand-made from the red terracotta clay of the region, using the same methods perfected hundreds of years ago. For this reason, the street carries the nickname “Christmas Alley.” Below are two of the shops on via San Gregorio with window displays lined with their many figurines.

A Traditional Italian
Nativity Scene
Il Presepio / Il Presepe

A traditional Italian nativity scene has several elements, all based in the Bible story and symbolism that has developed in Italy over the years.

And if you think you already know the characters in this story, read until the end; you may be surprised at the modern spin the artisans of today have put on this historical scene!

Important elements of the nativity scene are:

The landscape (il panorama): usually made of cork with winding paths to represent the pathway taken by the soul to reach the light of the Christian faith. (Notice the definite article il for the noun panorama, which is of Greek origin, and retains its Greek masculine gender in Italian.)

The river (il fiume): life-giving water, which is a symbol for birth.

The mill (il mulino): used to make bread, which is a symbol for life.

The well (il pozzo):  a symbol for the darkness that man’s soul can fall into.

The bridge (il ponte): a symbol of man’s passage from this world into the afterlife.

The fountain (la fontana): usually with a woman beside it, represents when the angel Gabriel announced the birth of Christ. Women are known for gathering around the fountain to gather water as well as to relay the latest news or gossip of their town.

The inn (la locanda): a reminder that Mary and Joseph were turned away from the warmth and food offered by a traditional inn and instead had to shelter in a cave with farm animals.

The presepio below from master craftsmen on via San Gregorio Armeno takes some liberty with tradition in its depiction of the setting, although the focus remains the winding pathway taken by the wise men on their way to the holy family. The major figures in the story are, of course included in the central group — mother Mary (Madre Maria), father Joseph (Padre Giuseppe), the herald angels (gli angeli messaggeri), and the three wise men, or kings (i Re Magi). Notice also two important and typically Neapolitan ancillary figures at the bottom of the hill — a washerwoman and a sleeping shepherd.

A traditional presepio includes the following figures from the Bible story, as depicted above.

Traditional figurines lining the shelves of a shop on via San Gregorio Armeno:

A  Neapolitan
Nativity Scene
Il Presepio / Il Presepe

As noted in the first section, townspeople are included in the periphery of the traditional Renaissance Neapolitan presepio for added symbolism. The figurines of these common folk represent the different sides of humanity and depict both good and bad human characteristics. Well-known pagan characters from Greco-Roman tradition or classic folktales may also play a part in the scene.

A list of the “essential” ancillary characters to be carefully placed around the central group in a Neapolitan nativity scene include:

Shepherds (i pastori) and sheep (le pecore) are the most common ancillary figures in any nativity scene. The group of shepherds with their flock not only play a part in the Bible story but also serve as a symbol of the believers who follow Jesus.

Benino is the name of one Neapolitan shepherd who stands out from the rest. He is always pictured lying down and sleeping, as if the entire scene were a dream of his. Symbolically, Benino could represent man’s tendency to ignore or be unaware of the divine. As a counterpart to Benino, an unnamed shepherd, called ” il pastore della meraviglia” or the “shepherd of wonder,”  is also often included. He stands apart from the group of shepherds, looking in awe toward the holy family.

A shepherd called Ciccibacco is a popular Neapolitan character who is said to represent the Greek god of wine and is a symbol of man’s tendency to drink and party to excess. He is often depicted as a large man, with rosy cheeks, standing in front of an inn and with a flask of wine in his hand. In a more elaborate display, Ciccibacco may also be shown seated in a cart full of wine barrels, either leading or following a procession of musicians playing the bagpipes and a flute. There is even a Neapolitan saying that mentions Ciccibacco to describe one who is “flat on his back drunk” — ” par Ciccibacc ngopp a bott.”

In another pagan reference, a female gypsy (la rom/ la zingara*) with her crystal ball may play a part in this Christian scene. This figure, who through the ages has been consulted to predict the future, is said to foreshadow the tragic fate of the newborn baby.

A fisherman (un pescatore) and a hunter (un cacciatore) are an essential part of a complete Neapolitan scene and are said to symbolize the cycle of life. Fishing takes place from the “river of life,” in the scene and fish symbolize sustenance in Bible stories. The hunter and his gun are said to symbolize death.

A washerwoman (una lavandaia), always depicted cleaning white cloths, symbolizes the midwife who helps Mary to give birth.

Food vendors were commonplace in all Italian towns in the past and a large nativity scene may depict a complete set of 12 food vendors. The number 12 may be included for the months of the year, or perhaps for the 12 apostles, who went out into the world after Jesus’ death to continue his teachings.  Miniature food and cabinetry is also available to make the surroundings of each vendor figurine more authentic. Most commonly included are the fruit vendor (il/la fruttivendolo(a)), butcher (il macellaio), fish vendor (il pescivendolo), and baker (il/la fornaio(a) / il/la panettiere).

Finally, beggars (i mendicanti) are included as a reminder that Christmas time is a time to help those in need.

A list of the ancillary characters often included in a Neapolitan nativity scene:

*The English word gypsy, and the Italian zingaro/zingara are considered to be ethnic slurs by the Romani people that have lived as an itinerant group in Europe for centuries. Rom is the proper Italian name for this group, thought to have their origins in northern India, and who speak Rromanës.

Below: Renaissance-style Neapolitan figurines based on local townspeople waiting to be added to a nativity scene.  It is said that the faces on the figurines created today reflect real townspeople from hundreds of years ago.

One shop on via San Gregorio Armeno even re-creates miniatures of cupboards and food for those who want to make their scene even more realistic!

Up-to-date figurines (not pictured in this blog) available to grace any nativity scene today include recent presidents and prime ministers, famous actors and singers, and of course, the famous Argentine-born soccer player who played for Naples, Diego Maradona.*

Some cities in Italy today also create live nativity scenes on the days leading up to Christmas. In Matera in Southern Italy, the nativity scene is recreated in the Sassi caves, while in Castanea delle Furie in northeastern Sicily, the entire village of Bethlehem is recreated.

*Diego Maradona transferred to Naples in 1984 and led the SSC Napoli to two Serie A title wins. Maradona’s image is also painted larger-than-life (as he was) on the exterior of many buildings in Naples.

Neapolitan Trinkets
for Good Luck

Those who tour Naples learn that the red twisted horn pendant, or curniciello, holds a special significance for Neapolitans. Throughout the centuries, the horn was considered a symbol of strength and fertility in Naples. Today, it is said that if one is given a corno portafortuna, or “lucky horn,” it will bring luck to that person. If the person who receives this gift chooses, he or she may in turn bestow their new-found luck on the gift giver.

An old Italian tradition contends that garlic worn as a pendant will bring protection to the wearer.

Below are some figurines created on via San Gregorio Armeno decked out for Christmas that carry Neapolitan emblems of good luck and protection.

A visit to San Gregorio Armeno is not only a walk down “Christmas Alley”  but also a walk through the unique traditions of Naples!

Remember the Neapolitan Presepio
for your Christmas celebration this year!

Buon Natale a tutti voi!

For “All the Italian you need to enjoy your trip to Italy,” click on the links below to purchase my Conversational Italian for Travelers books – and then listen to the audiobook “Just the Important Phrases” on your favorite streaming platform!     —Kathryn Occhipinti

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A trio of influential Italian pizza critics ranked Jimmy’s Pizza Cafe in Chicago as one of the top 10 places for a slice in the nation, Block Club Chicago reported.

Barbara Guerra, Luciano Pignataro and Albert Sapere compile the prestigious “50 Top Pizza Slices in the USA” rankings, and also put out a yearly list of the best pizzerias in Italy and other countries in Europe, Latin America and Asia.

The restaurant at 2434 W. Montrose Ave. in Chicago, known for its New York-style pizza, ranked at No. 9.

“It was a huge honor. The awards ceremony was all the best pizza-makers in the nation in just one room,” owner Jimmy Kang told Block Club Chicago.

The critics’ description of Jimmy’s highlighted its “spacious and warm environment” with a fireplace, wooden tables and brick walls. “Perfect consistency for this New York-style pizza, very popular in Chicago for its unique taste and high-quality ingredients. The French fries and garlic knots are also excellent,” they wrote.

The 50 Top Pizza USA list for 2024 also recognized other Chicago pizzerias: Streeterville’s Robert’s Pizza and Dough Company was at No. 10, Ravenswood’s Spacca Napoli Pizzeria at No. 23, and Lakeview’s Coda di Volpe at No. 47.

A beloved Chicago pizzeria was recently ranked among the 100 best in the world by the Italian culinary website 50 Top Pizza.

Spacca Napoli (1769 W. Sunnyside Ave., Chicago) came in at No. 93 on a list that included pizzerias from France, the Philippines, Spain, Japan, Denmark and more. Diego Vitagliano Pizzeria in Naples and I Masanielli in Caserta shared the top spot.

“It’s always nice to be recognized,” Spacca Napoli owner Jonathan Goldsmith modestly responded.

Goldsmith has won a slew of awards for his Neapolitan pizza over the years. He learned the trade from master Neapolitan pizzaiolo Enzo Coccia, and in later years from respected pizza makers Antonio Starita, Franco Pepe and Attilio Bachetti. He continues to visit Napoli on a regular basis for further research and the acquisition of Italian ingredients of “alta qualità.”

He credits the success of his restaurant to a combination of elements. “Our culture is special, we use good products and we are dedicated,” he said.

His pizzas, both “rosse” (with tomato sauce) and “bianche” (without), are baked in wood-burning ovens built by third- and fourth-generation artisans from Napoli.

The menu also includes a variety of antipasti, several Italian beers and a wine list particular to Campania. Pizze and antipasti found on the specials board reflect the changing seasons and available local ingredients.

So does Goldsmith have any plans to expand given his recent accomplishment? No, he said, Spacca Napoli will remain his “unica sede” (only location).

For more, click here.

When you’re as passionate about Italy as Spacca Napoli owner Jonathan Goldsmith, frequent visits to the motherland are as gratifying as they are inevitable.

“I go to conduct research or attend events with colleagues,” Goldsmith says, “and always to reconnect with people I care about and who have become family.”

In October, he spent two weeks at the agriturismo Le Campestre outside of Naples, helping the Lombardi family pick olives and make wine. “I first met them in 2004,” he explains. “They are the producers of conciato romano, a pecorino that dates back 2,000 years.”

As an executive producer of “L’opera di Pino Daniele,” he traveled to Naples for performances in February and May, with another concert-based visit slated for December.

While in Italy in February, he made a side trip to Sri Lanka to fire up a pizza oven built by friends from Naples, and in May, he made presentations at La Stada Della Mozzarella in Paestum and Caputo Village in Naples.

Rounding out his 2018 itinerary was a June sojourn to accept the award for the best Neapolitan pizza outside of Italy from Guida Top 50 and to spend time with longtime friends in Rodi Garganico.

(www.spaccanapolipizzeria.com)

Chicago’s own Spacca Napoli was recently acknowledged by the Consorzio di Tutela Della Mozzarella di Bufala Campana DOP as the best Neapolitan Pizzeria outside of Italy at this year presentation of the Guida Top 50 in Naples. Earlier this year, the Chicago pizzeria was ranked among the top Italian restaurants in Chicago by Gambero Rosso. “(Owner) Jonathan Goldsmith trained under Enzo Coccia and other great pizza masters,” the Italian food and wine magazine notes. “In this way he managed to raise the palate of the Windy City to a higher level.” Non ce male, eh?

That places me squarely in the Resolution Zone, that fanciful timeframe during which we bind ourselves to a host of worthy and sometimes unattainable goals for the coming year.

Those resolutions can expand, contract and morph as the months progress. As of this moment, I’ve resolved to:

1) Exercise more, consume fewer calories and in general take better care of my aging body.

2) Seek input from current and former Fra Noi readers and the community-at-large with an eye toward making an already wonderful publication even better.

3) Work hand-in-hand with my fellow board members at the Italian American Veterans Museum and Casa Italia to take these cherished institutions to the next level.

4) Spend more time with family and friends, especially my beloved and long-suffering wife, who will no doubt be apprehensive about the time and effort required to fulfill resolutions 2 and 3.

5) Dine at a minimum of two Italian restaurants each month.

Wait a minute. Aren’t New Year’s resolutions supposed to be lofty and oh so serious? By those standards, 5 seems frivolous and downright fun.

Fun? No doubt. But frivolous? Not if you’ve been tracking the trends like I have.

Two years ago, I added every local independently owned Italian restaurant of any note to Fra Noi’s complimentary list. Since then, I’ve had a front-row seat to the alarming decline of an industry niche.

At the start of 2016, there were nearly 250 businesses on the list. Since then, not a month has gone by without notification from the postal service that one if not several had closed their doors and left no forwarding address. As 2018 dawns, the list has dwindled to just under 200, representing a 20 percent decline.

During that time period, two of my favorite Italian eateries met their demise — Monastero’s and Fiorentino’s — joining another four dozen of their culinary paesani in the fond memories of their patrons.

Every single one of these establishments boasted 4 Yelp stars or better, so they certainly weren’t undone by lack of quality. Monastero’s was able to leave on its own terms, but most of the others succumbed to a brutal marketplace that punishes owners with long hours, slim profit margins and stiff competition from every conceivable direction.

I don’t know about you, but I can’t sit idly by dining on steamed cauliflower and panko-encrusted tilapia at home when an entire business sector that’s so near and dear to us is depending upon us for its very survival!

I’ve done my part in the past, regularly patronizing ristoranti and trattorie across the Chicago area, with special attention paid to Fra Noi advertisers, of course.

In the last few months, I had Trattoria Porretta cater a family event and Roberto’s a veterans museum party, I swung by Freddy’s to pick up enough food for three consecutive dinners, and my wife and I have dined at Spacca Napoli, La Fontanella and Erie Cafe. Next stop: Palermo’s and Café Roma.

But there’s so much more we all can do to keep the flame of la vera cucina italiana burning brightly in the Chicago area.

If you don’t already have a favorite authentic Italian restaurant, find one, and once you have, patronize them as many times a year as your budget will allow. If you already have one, up your patronage and seek out a second. (The research is half the fun!)

And don’t wait for the spring thaw to get started. The sledding for restaurants is toughest in the dead of winter, when diners are reluctant to venture forth.

I’ve read that every list of New Year’s resolutions should have a least one item that’s enjoyable and easy to achieve. I’ve found mine. It’s not too late to add it to your list, too.

The above appeared in the March issue of the print version of Fra Noi. Our gorgeous, monthly magazine contains a veritable feast of news and views, profiles and features, entertainment and culture. To subscribe, click here.

http://spaccanapolipizzeria.com

You could say that fate led Jonathan Goldsmith to open Spacca Napoli Pizzeria, and transform himself into one of America’s most passionate proponents of Neapolitan-style pizza. Or you could say that chance favors the prepared mind.

A clinical social worker with a degree from the University of Chicago, Goldsmith was living and working in Florence in the 1980s while his wife, Ginny, was going to art school, and he was absolutely loving it. When the couple returned to the Windy City with their young daughter, Sarah, he felt he had left a part of his soul behind.

The couple bought a building in the Ravenswood neighborhood of Chicago, and Goldsmith began volunteering as a cook at a social service agency serving the homeless of Uptown. On a flight back to Italy for a visit, with an article about his volunteer work on his lap, he struck up a conversation with an Italian gentleman sitting next to him.

“I was wondering aloud about what I was going to do with my life and he said, ‘You should open a pizzeria. Flour, water, salt and yeast: You’ll make a lot of money,’” Goldsmith recalls with a laugh. “When I shared the story with my friends in Italy, they said, ‘Go to Naples. That’s where you go for pizza.’”

And so Goldsmith’s odyssey was launched. He began learning his trade in a town overlooking Naples from master pizzaiola Enzo Coccia, and then he spent 10 of the next 18 months traveling the region, visiting pizzerias, studying menus, earning trust, and embracing the mysteries of the craft.

“In the end, it’s all about the dough,” Goldsmith shares. “It’s literally alive, and so every day you go back to square one. You strive for consistency, but it’s important to have a dialogue.”

Back in the states, he turned his fledgling restaurant into a true temple of italianità, replete with Sicilian tile work, Neapolitan lithographs, stunning mosaics, and a wood-burning brick oven created by third- and fourth-generation artisans.

And that attention to detail doesn’t end with the decor. His pizzas are crafted with flour from Naples, tomatoes from southern Italy, bufala mozzarella from Caserta, and extra virgin olive oil from Liguria.

“Everything we do is light, and we strive to achieve a perfect balance,” Goldsmith asserts. “You want a symphony of flavors, where one element doesn’t overwhelm the other. It’s everything coming together that makes a “capolavoro,” a masterpiece.”

On a menu that features only a dozen antipasti, eight pizze rosse, eight more pizze bianche and a handful of daily specials, you’ll discover items that you can’t find anywhere else this side of the Atlantic.

“We have a cheese that dates back 2,000 years, a minestra with roots in ancient Rome, and wines made from indigenous grapes that were almost extinct until recently,” Goldsmith points out with pride.

The praise showered upon Spacca Napoli by the likes of Zagat, Michelin, LTH Forum and “The Hungry Hound” should come as no surprise. Never one to rest on his laurels, Goldsmith travels back to Italy several times a year to unearth new products and further refine his craft.

And just as each day at Spacca Napoli involves a dialogue with the dough, it also involves collaboration among an extended family of employees, customers and pizzaiuoli around the world.

“This isn’t a business — it’s a community,” Goldsmith concludes.

Spacca Napoli Pizzeria
1769 W. Sunnyside Ave.
Chicago, IL 60640
773-878-2420
spaccanapolipizzeria.com