In depth
What it is
In Reda, a hamlet of Faenza, the nativity scene set up in the parish church of San Martino, at via Selva Fantina 51, is one of the stops on the Strada dei Presepi di Romagna, the Christmas route that connects the creations of parishes and associations between Faenza and neighbouring towns. Every year a group of volunteers builds from scratch a semi-mechanical scenography that tells the Nativity with moving figures, lights and projections, changing the subject each edition.
What makes it special
What distinguishes the Reda nativity scene is the handcrafted mechanical component: the figures move thanks to mechanisms built by hand by the group of curators, and the scene is completed by rear projections that animate the background, for example with camels walking or wind effects. An old confessional in the church is transformed every year into a small space for the little ones, where a short cartoon about the Nativity entertains them for about ten minutes. The subject changes each edition: in the last one, the nativity scene depicted a Palestinian Arab-style setting, with the contrast between the rich tents of the powerful and the poor nearby encampments.
Origins and history
The nativity scene was born from the initiative of a group of parishioners from Reda, including Pierlivio Ragazzini, who has been curating it for years together with other volunteers: the 2025 2026 edition marks its thirteenth year of life, so the tradition started in the early 2010s. Over time it has become one of the fixed stops on the Strada dei Presepi di Romagna, the network that in 2025 2026 reached its tenth edition connecting the creations of various parishes and associations between Faenza and the Forlì area, from Pieve Corleto to Castel Raniero, from Cassanigo to Villa Prati. The church that hosts it, San Martino di Reda, has an older history: it is documented from 1337, when the Municipality of Faenza had it rebuilt; it underwent an extension in 1928 and damage from a bombing in 1944, repaired the following year, until a complete reconstruction was inaugurated on 27 May 1962, with the 39-metre bell tower blessed a few days later.
What to see
Inside the church visitors find scenography completely remade every year, populated by characters built by hand by the curators: shepherds, animals and figures from the Christmas tradition come to life thanks to hidden mechanisms, while in the background rear projections add dynamism with light and atmospheric effects. The visit often ends with a surprise for children in the church confessional, transformed into a small space for a short cartoon dedicated to the Nativity.
When and how to visit
The Reda nativity scene traditionally opens during the Christmas period, from late December to Epiphany, as a stop on the Strada dei Presepi di Romagna. In the last edition, 2025 2026, it was open from 23 December to 7 January, with holiday hours indicatively from 3pm to 6.30pm, weekdays from 11am to 12pm and from 4.30pm to 6.30pm, and on 2 January open only in the afternoon. The sources consulted do not indicate an entrance ticket: as with the other nativity scenes in the network, access is presumably free, but it is advisable to check with the curators. For information and opening times you can contact the parish through the curators, Ragazzini on telephone +39 338 9605541, or follow updates on the Strada dei Presepi Romagna Facebook page. Before planning your visit it is advisable to check the dates of the current edition, which may vary from previous years.
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