the shows of living nativity scenes enliven the city of Matera

In the south of Italy, in Matera, a tradition is still very much followed today. Living nativity scenes are played around a central table: the stable, in which Mary, Joseph and the newborn are seated, between the donkey and the ox. Several thousand spectators come to admire these shows in the center of the city, at the option of the five main stages. And every evening, at nightfall, the monuments are brought to light again and the show begins again.

In this ancient city, the actors don traditional costumes before performing. Some are theater actors but a hundred others are passionate amateurs of the region who have created their own costumes and tools. Great directors have chosen the setting that Matera offers to shoot films, such as Mel Gibson who directed there The passion of Christ in 2004.