In depth
What it is
The Presepe in Cripta di Pieve Corleto is a Nativity scene set up every year in the thousand-year-old crypt of the Pieve di Santo Stefano in Corleto, a farming hamlet of Faenza along the road to Forlì. It is part of the network of nativity scenes known as the Strada dei Presepi di Romagna and is looked after by the young people of the parish.
What makes it special
The nativity scene occupies the entire Romanesque crypt of the parish church, a space of about seven metres by five divided into three small naves by six columns, some with reused capitals of Roman origin. The statues are old papier-mâché artefacts belonging to the parish, arranged on the ground among humble and reclaimed materials, which recreate the course of a river with real water, the encampment of the Magi, the palace of Herod and finally the grotto of the Nativity. The route is designed especially at child height, so that the youngest visitors can find themselves almost inside the scene. The setting in an underground space of medieval origin, not normally open to visitors, is the element that makes this nativity scene different from others in the area.
Origins and history
The Pieve di Corleto is mentioned for the first time in a document from 896 but is believed to have been built as early as the 7th century. Destroyed in 1220 during clashes between Faenza and Forlì, it was rebuilt in 1224 and the present building, in Baroque style, dates from 1778. The crypt beneath was excavated around the year 1000 to house some relics, according to tradition linked to Santo Stefano, and is considered the second oldest monument in Faenza after the bell tower of the church of Santa Maria ad Nives. Long inaccessible, it was only reopened between the 1980s and 1990s. Since 2009 a group of young volunteers from the parish has set up the nativity scene there every Christmas, which in the 2025-2026 edition has reached its sixteenth year.
What to see
Descending into the crypt, the visitor follows a narrow path among the medieval columns, softly lit, which leads along the scenes of the Nativity: the course of a small river, the tent of the encampment of the Magi on their journey, the palace of Herod and, at the end of the route, the grotto with the Holy Family. The papier-mâché statues, some very old, are surrounded by natural elements and reclaimed materials that give the representation a handcrafted and intimate character, different from the large monumental nativity scenes.
When and how to visit
The nativity scene traditionally opens from Christmas Day until mid-January. In the 2025-2026 edition it can be visited on 25, 26, 27 and 28 December and then on 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 11 and 18 January, with the opening on 25 December at 3 pm. Opening hours are from 3 pm to 6.30 pm. Admission is free, although for the current edition it is always advisable to check with the parish for any changes. For groups it is possible to arrange visits outside these times by contacting the representatives indicated by the parish.
