The REGOLA NATIVITY SCENE
The Regola Nativity Scene uses the rich and evocative language of the Neapolitan Nativity to depict daily life in the Regola district of Rome at the end of the 19th century. The scene’s protagonists are the Mellonari (mell-makers), the Pettinari (pet-makers), the Friggitori (fried-fryers), and the Carnacciari (carpentry workers): popular crafts and figures who enlivened the neighborhood’s streets and represented its most authentic soul.
Alongside these figures, the nativity scene also narrates a significant episode in Roman religious history: Saint Philip Neri washing the feet of pilgrims, a gesture of welcome and charity that resonates with the humanity and devotion of the time.
The scene is populated by a multitude of characters—brigands, dancers, priests, monks, and common people—rendering a vivid portrait of late 19th-century Rome. This spirit guided the nativity scene in the Church of the Santissima Trinità dei Pellegrini, commissioned by the French parish priest Don Brice.
The shepherds are inspired by the historic etchings preserved by the Church, which give shape to the typical figures of 19th-century Rome. The set design, curated by Biagio Roscigno, recreates characteristic views of the neighborhood with fountains, votive shrines, and arches, one of which bears a Latin epigraph accompanied by the coat of arms of the Regola district.
The entire setting extends approximately 3.5 meters in length and over one meter in depth. The set design was inspired by the paintings dedicated to 19th-century Rome by Ettore Roesler Franz, which contribute to the evocative and historically recognizable atmosphere.
