Titolo: Calvi dell’Umbria, the village of the nativity scene
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Calvi dell’Umbria, the village of the nativity scene

The monumental nativity scene, the nativity scenes at the Museum of the Ursuline Monastery, and the mural trail on the Nativity in the historic center.

Calvi dell’Umbria, a picturesque village in the province of Terni overlooking the Sabina region, is not just a stop on the Franciscan Protomartyrs’ path. This Umbrian small town is also renowned for its nativity scenes. After all, this sacred representation originated from the will and vision of the most illustrious figure of this land: St. Francis of Assisi, who created the first ever nativity scene in 1223 in Greccio, in the Rieti Valley.

Calvi perfectly embodies this tradition, with its monumental nativity scene housed in the Church of Sant’Antonio, its murals and frescoes along the streets of the historic center, and the handcrafted nativity scenes displayed in the town museum.

In Piazza Mazzini, the heart of this Umbrian town, you can find the church of Santa Brigida, part of the Ursuline Sisters’ monastery, and the church of Sant’Antonio. In the 18th century, the papal architect Ferdinando Fuga intervened to unify the two buildings.

The monumental nativity scene is located in the apse of the ancient Church of Sant’Antonio, once the seat of the homonymous confraternity and now part of the exhibition path of the Museum of the Ursuline Monastery. It is open to visitors all year round.

Composed of over thirty polychrome terracotta statues, it was created between 1541 and 1546 by the Abruzzese brothers Giacomo and Raffaele da Montereale. This unique work, larger than life-size, amazes visitors with its beauty, vividness, and the realism of its characters.

The central scene is framed by the statues of Saint Anthony Abbot, beloved in rural tradition as the protector of livestock and cultivated land, and Saint Roch, traditionally invoked as a protector against the plague.

The lower register depicts the Nativity: the statues of Saint Joseph, the Virgin Mary, and the Baby Jesus are likely crafted by the two master ceramists due to the greater attention to detail compared to the others, which may have been created by their students. On the left stands a bagpipe player, while on the right are two peasant women, with four angels positioned behind the central group.

An arch draws the eye to the upper register, where figures are arranged on multiple levels to create depth. At the center are the Three Wise Men, bearing gifts on their journey to Bethlehem, while on elevated platforms on either side, there are figures standing and on horseback. Suspended above the scene are four angelic musicians.

A solitary male figure sitting on the ledge between the two registers seems almost out of place. This sculpture, shrouded in mystery, has been variously interpreted: as a young man removing a thorn from his foot (the so-called “Cavaspina”), a motif common in classical and Hellenistic statuary, or as the devil tearing his foot in anger at the birth of the Savior.

Calvi’s renown is further enriched by a unique initiative from the 1980s when local artist Antonio Valentino, known as Valan, invited painters from around the world to decorate the town’s walls with depictions of the Nativity.

Today, a charming trail winds through the alleys of the historic center, showcasing over 50 works, representing a variety of artistic interpretations.

Calvi truly is the village of nativity scenes!

You can also admire other nativity scenes, including monumental ones, at Palazzo Ferrini. This 17th-century building became the Ursuline Monastery in the 18th century through the precise will of its owner, Demofonte Ferrini, who bequeathed the palace to the municipality of Calvi on the condition that it be turned into a convent for women. The palace now houses the municipal offices and the beautiful halls of the museum in Calvi, where visitors can marvel at other notable works, including The Parable of the Blind by Pieter Bruegel the Younger and The Penitent Magdalene by Guido Reni.

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