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| Procuratie Vecchie in Piazza San Marco on Christmas Eve |
(Venice, Italy) Christmas in Venice is a brief moment where those who live here have the city to themselves. It is a time spent with family and friends. All is calm. All is bright. The few tourists who do come to Venice to celebrate the holiday are a different breed; there is not much for them to do except attend Midnight Mass, which is always standing-room-only, with clouds of incense and a choir of angels.
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| Church of St. Nick - San Nicolò dei Mendicoli in Venice |
Over in the far corner of Dorsoduro, the Church of San Nicolò dei Mendicoli is dedicated to Saint Nicholas aka Santa Claus, who had a wonderful habit of giving gifts secretly. "Dei Mendicoli" means "of the beggars;" this zone was traditionally working-class, comprised of fishermen and their families. It is the church that Donald Sutherland's character was restoring in the Nicholas Roeg film
Don't Look Now, and during Christmas, it is peaceful and filled with solitude.
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| Calle XXII Marzo at Christmas |
Even the luxury shops on Calle XXII Marzo, Venice's Fifth Avenue, are closed; the only sound to be heard is the music of a single accordion playing
Silent Night.
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| Il Presepe - lui.rossi@archiworld.it |
Next to the
squero, or boatyard, where gondolas are still constructed, there is an elaborate Nativity scene erected inside the Church of San Trovaso.
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| Adoration of the Magi by Giovanni Bonazza (c.1720) |
Inside the Church of San Giorgio Maggiore, the exquisite model of
The Adoration of the Magi by Giovanni Bonazza (c. 1720) was recently installed. The expressions on the faces of Joseph, Mary and Jesus, the Magi and all their entourage, are so lifelike and full of emotion, and the venue so powerful, it almost feels like walking right into Bethlehem.
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| Midnight Mass inside the Basilica of San Marco |
Christmas is one of the rare times the precious Pala D'Oro, the golden altarpiece inside the Basilica of San Marco, is turned to face the congregation, emitting powerful energy that seems to radiate from Heaven itself.
There is a lot of White Magic going on in Venice at Christmas.
Merry Christmas from Venice!
Cat Bauer
Venetian Cat - The Venice Blog
Christmas in Venice is a brief moment where those who live here have the city to themselves. It is a time spent with family and friends. All is calm. All is bright. The few tourists who do come to Venice to celebrate the holiday are a different breed; there is not much for them to do except attend Midnight Mass, which is always standing-room-only, with clouds of incense and a choir of angels.
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas Cat and a Happy New Year!
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas, Leslie! Warm wishes for the New Year|
ReplyDelete