In depth
What it is
The Presepe Meccanico di Barbiano is an animated nativity scene set up every Christmas inside the Chiesa di Santo Stefano Protomartire, in the hamlet of Barbiano, in the municipality of Cotignola, in the province of Ravenna. It is not a public square nativity scene, but a compact installation, designed and built by hand by a group of volunteers from the parish community, which for a few weeks transforms a corner of the church into a small miniature world populated by moving figurines.
What makes it special
The installation extends over more than ten square metres and reproduces an entire village from times past, with terracotta statuettes, many of which are animated by mechanisms that make them move, and handcrafted houses that recreate the old country trades: the carpentry, the fishmonger, the butcher, the tailor's shop. It is precisely this attention to the trades of yesteryear, together with the movement of so many small figures, that distinguishes it from the more common static nativity scenes in the area. Adding to its charm is also the location: not a warehouse or a parish hall, but the interior of a Romanesque parish church among the oldest in the Bassa Romagna, whose first documented records date back to the 10th century.
Origins and history
The sources consulted do not report a certain date of birth for the nativity scene nor the name of who first conceived it. What is known with certainty concerns the last documented edition, curated by a group of volunteers from the parish community: Domenico Guerra, Giovanna Donati, Luigi Conti, Silvana Taroni, Giancarlo Franzoni, Donata Samorini and Antonia Randi. It is a collective work that is renewed from year to year, a sign of a tradition felt by the local community rather than an initiative imposed from above. On its evolution over time, on when it was born or how it has changed compared to the first editions, no verifiable information has emerged in the available sources.
What to see
In addition to the nativity scene itself, with its animated statuettes and glimpses of peasant and artisan life, the installation includes a Christmas market held inside the church, the proceeds of which are used to support missions. In the last edition, the inauguration was accompanied by a concert by the corale Santo Stefano, which opened the festivities related to the nativity scene with a musical moment shared with the whole village.
When and how to visit
The nativity scene is set up every year during the Christmas period, generally from mid-December until Epiphany, inside the Chiesa di Santo Stefano Protomartire at via Antica Pieve 9 in Barbiano di Cotignola. In the last edition, open from 11 December 2022 to 8 January 2023, it was open on Saturdays from 3pm to 6pm and on Sundays and public holidays from 9am to 12pm and from 3pm to 6pm. Admission was free, by donation. This information refers to the last known edition: for the current year it is always advisable to check updated dates and times with the parish or local organisers, as they may vary from one edition to another.
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