Living Nativity Scene of Mistretta

Every year, on the occasion of Christmas festivities, is organized on Living Nativity Scene of Mistretta, an event that stages the birth of Jesus but which also involves many spectators who are not believers but who want to attend a real theatrical representation, known as U Travel Dulurusu. Here, then, is all the information that may be useful for attending the representation of the Living Nativity of Mistretta.

Description of the Living Nativity of Mistretta

The Living Nativity Scene of Mistretta is an event that has been held for several years and is organized byAmastratina Athletic Sports Association to keep alive the traditions of the Christmas period. It's about a traveling theatrical performance, which takes its cue from text Viaggiu Dulurusu which was written by a friar from Monreale who goes by the name of Binidittu Annuleri and who tells of the Joseph and Mary's journey to Bethlehem and the next birth of Jesus.

The event, which attracts many visitors every year, has the particularity of involving the entire population in a sort of journey through time that takes the spectator back to medieval times but also to the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. On the sidelines of the event, then, there are a series of events which aim to raise awareness of the excellence of the territory to a very large audience that comes from different areas of Sicily and beyond.

The history linked to the Living Nativity of Mistretta

The event of the Living Nativity of Mistretta is all in all recent given that the first edition was organized in 2010. Since then the event has been renewed every year because the Amastratina Athletic Sports Association, and with it the Municipality of Mistretta which sponsors the initiative, they understood from the growing numbers of the public that it is a unique opportunity to raise awareness of the history and beauty of a village otherwise little known to mass tourism itineraries. For the preparation of the theatrical performance. furthermore, all the inhabitants of the town are involved, some to interpret the most important roles of the living nativity scene, others to create the sets and costumes.

When the Living Nativity Scene of Mistretta takes place

The event is obviously linked to Christmas time, so it is held during the Christmas holidays, usually on the weekend that occurs in the days between Santo Stefano a New Year.

Where the event takes place

The event involves all village of Mistretta. We start from the San Nicola district, in the open space of the church of Sant'Antonio Abate and then touch the different points of the historic center, given that in each small square or open space a stage of the birth of Jesus is told. The actual Nativity, however, is staged in Largo Balatazze Catafurchi.

What to do during the Mistretta Living Nativity Scene

The Living Nativity Scene of Mistretta is the right opportunity to immerse yourself in the reality of another time, given that in the heart of the historic center all the houses located on the ground floor become the shops of the past, which show spectators the tradition of the ancients professions.

In addition to the representation of the various salient episodes of the birth of Jesus, visitors will also be able to taste at the stand which there are many just outside the historic center typical specialties of the territory and the Christmas period. And if you still have a few hours left, perhaps you can use it to visit some of the village's monuments, such as the Church of Santa Caterina di Amestrata or Mother Church dedicated to Saint Lucia or Arab-Norman castle of Mistretta.

How to get to Mistretta

To reach the village and take part in the Living Nativity Scene of Mistretta, you can travel with your own vehicle auto.
From Messina and Palermo the way to go is the A20 and then continue on the E90, while those coming from Catania will simply have to take the A19 to their destination.
From Syracuse, beyond the 19 motorway it is necessary to continue on the E932, finally those coming from Agrigento must have the Ss640 as a reference.
Mistretta also has its own train station, which it shares with the municipality of Santo Stefano di Camastra and which is located along the axis that connects Messina to Palermo, therefore it is easily reachable also by this means and with the bus service premises offered by AST which connects the village to the main centers of the island.