In depth
What it is
"Gloria in Excelsis Deo" is the artistic nativity scene with mechanical statues set up every Christmas in Ravenna Cathedral, in piazza Duomo. More than a nativity scene to view in a few minutes, it is an animated scenography that fills a corner of the church with lights, sounds and automated mechanisms, blending the Nativity with scenes of life and work from Romagna tradition. It is created by the Parrocchia di San Giovanni in Fonte della Cattedrale, with free admission during church opening hours.
What makes it special
What sets it apart from a traditional nativity scene is the movement: around forty fixed statues coexist with about twenty mechanised figures that actually move, together with dozens of sheep of various sizes, in a setting of approximately thirty square metres inside the Cathedral. The lighting cycle reproduces the alternation of day and night, with effects that evoke the starry sky, whilst the scenography, redesigned in Palestinian style, recreates workshops and trades from Romagna of times past: the mosaicist, the ceramicist, the sfogline at work with fresh pasta, the blacksmith and the farrier, the fabric printer. The location is also unusual: not a hall or museum, but one of the great cathedrals of the city of mosaics.
Origins and history
The original idea for the nativity scene came from don Guido Marchetti, parish priest of the Cathedral who passed away in 2015, who wanted to bring to the Duomo an animated nativity scene capable of engaging and surprising visitors. Since then, every year, the installation has been curated by Alessio Callegaro, who has been involved with nativity scenes since he was a boy, together with a group of volunteers from the parish. Over time the scene has been expanded and renewed several times: in 2022 the scenography was redesigned in Palestinian style and the lighting effects were improved. In the 2025 edition, on the tenth anniversary of don Marchetti's death, a statuette dedicated to him was added, with his phrase "Avanti con gioia", alongside one depicting padre Giovanni Lambertini, a priest expert in mechanical nativity scenes.
What to see
Beyond the Nativity grotto, the visual journey moves between small scenes of artisan life: the mosaic and ceramic workshops, dear to Ravenna's history, the sfogline rolling out pasta, the blacksmith hammering iron, the farrier at work, the printer of Romagna fabrics. Everything is handmade, in miniature, with attention to detail that changes slightly from one edition to another. The play of light marks the passage from day to night, accompanied by music, whilst the mechanical statues animate gestures and movements of the different scenes.
When and how to visit
The nativity scene is set up every year between early December and the end of January; in the latest edition it was visible from 8 December 2025 to 31 January 2026. It can be visited freely, with free admission, during the Cathedral's opening hours: on weekdays from 7.30 to 17.00, on Sundays and holidays from 8.00 to 19.00, whilst access is not possible during religious services. Being an active part of an officiating church, it is advisable to check times and opening hours before visiting, especially around the holidays, when celebrations may temporarily modify access.
