Christmas Holidays in Friuli Venezia Giulia, between the sacred and the profane

A grotesque procession, led by an old Saint with a long white beard and ceremonial robes. Behind him, a horde of screaming demons, lit by the dim glow of many burning torches. It might seem like the climactic scene of a horror movie, but for Tarvisio and the Valcanale, this description captures an event that unfolds every year on the night of December 5th: the traditional ritual of the Krampus, mythical figures who accompany—with eerie and shrill sounds—the arrival of Saint Nicholas through the streets of the town.
Behind the folkloric parade of the Krampus, shared by the people of the whole valley, lie legendary tales whose shadows stretch back into the dawn of time. One of them speaks of thefts and raids of winter provisions carried out by a group of young men who, in order to avoid recognition, disguised themselves with animal skins and horns. Among them, however, a true demonic presence infiltrated, recognizable by its goat-like hooves. To rid the village of this terrifying presence, Bishop Nicholas was called, and he managed to defeat the demon.

Since then, as soon as the first shadows fall on the evening of December 5th, the Krampus descend from the mountain woods and invade the streets of Tarvisio and the nearby villages. The procession clamors and struggles its way down to the valley, where a great bonfire is lit. Once the unique parade ends, Saint Nicholas leads the demonic cortege back toward the silence and darkness of the forest, to return only the following year.

The deeply rooted Christmas religious tradition in Friuli Venezia Giulia finds its fullest expression in nativity scenes. Every year, visitors can admire wooden crèches carved right before their eyes, nativity scenes made of sand, corn husks, straw, miniature displays and giant ones, living and mechanical nativity scenes, and even underwater ones. In Friuli Venezia Giulia—land of remarkable artisanship—December is truly the month of imagination.

In the municipality of Forgaria, the picturesque Cornino Lake provides the backdrop for an equally spectacular nativity scene set up on the lakebed. In Lignano Sabbiadoro, the nativity scene is naturally made of sand—a material perfectly suited to this representation and accessible to all. In Ravascletto, the crèches displayed are created by descendants of the cramârs, the itinerant Carnia merchants active from the 16th to the 19th century who traveled throughout Europe in winter carrying fabrics and spices. In Sutrio, the famous Teno Nativity Scene can be visited all year round: it reproduces in miniature the village’s traditional customs, with scenes that come to life thanks to flawless mechanical gears.
In Spilimbergo, the nativity scene renews a historic cultural identity and enhances a prestigious local craft—the art of mosaic—one of Friuli Venezia Giulia’s excellences. The figures of the nativity scene, covered front and back with mosaics made of gold and colored glass enamels, form a one-of-a-kind work of art, offering an enchanting setting in a historic urban space surrounded by major medieval and Renaissance buildings of the old village.

In Selz di Ronchi dei Legionari, the nativity scene is animated, with over 300 moving figures powered by a single motor that operates like a clock—without strings, wires, or springs. The nativity scene of Corgnolo di Porpetto, set outdoors among the three branches of the Corgnolizza canal and nestled among ancient abandoned buildings that give it an old-world charm, is distinctive for the presence of live animals such as geese, ducks, chickens, sheep, donkeys, goats, and pigs.

In Poffabro, one of Italy’s most beautiful villages, every niche and balcony hosts a nativity scene: the atmosphere becomes magical at dusk, when the lights are switched on and Poffabro transforms into a “Nativity Scene among Nativity Scenes.” The natural beauty of the village blends with the architectural charm of its characteristic stone and wood houses, where wide balconies overlook the cobbled alleys.
Finally, in Grado, Jesus is born in the lagoon: instead of huts, there are casoni (traditional fishermen’s houses), and instead of shepherds, there are fishermen.

The Messa dello Spadone (Mass of the Sword) is a religious rite commemorating the political investiture of Marquard von Randeck as Patriarch of Aquileia, which took place in 1366 in Cividale del Friuli. Since then, the reenactment Mass has been celebrated in the city every year on Epiphany.

The Patriarchate of Aquileia was a vast ecclesiastical and judicial institution and one of the most important in medieval Europe. Alongside its original religious role, in 1077 a feudal institution was established, transforming the Patriarchate into a sort of German-style ecclesiastical principality. The Mass features the use of a sword (a copy of Marquard’s original weapon) with which a deacon greets the congregation at various moments of the liturgy.

The Messa del Tallero (Mass of the Thaler), on the other hand, is celebrated in Gemona del Friuli. It combines religious and civil ritual, symbolizing the collaboration among city authorities for the common good. It originated in the Middle Ages, though its current name refers to the Austrian domination, when the currency in use was the Maria Theresa thaler.

The ceremony begins at the town hall: the mayor, accompanied by a page carrying the thaler and by other costumed figures, proceeds to the cathedral and knocks on the door, which is opened by the deacon. The Mass is celebrated in Latin and Friulian, and the Gospel is sung according to the patriarchal rite.

But what exactly is the “patriarchal rite”? As one might guess, it is the chant tradition of the Church of Aquileia, consisting of numerous popular melodies with centuries-old roots, transmitted orally until the last century. It includes various types of chants, the most famous being the Missus, the Gospel passage of the Annunciation, still sung in many parishes in Friuli during the Christmas Novena, from December 15th to 23rd.
The region’s strong choral tradition expresses itself throughout the entire Christmas season, especially through the traditional Nativitas festival: 150 events held across the region, offering a Christmas deeply rooted in the history and traditions of this borderland—a crossroads of peoples, faiths, and stories.

On Epiphany, ancient rituals with centuries-old origins are brought back to life. The main protagonist is fire, which lights up the night of January 6th across much of Friuli in the traditional bonfire ritual known as the pignarûl. This tradition, seemingly derived from an ancient Celtic rite dedicated to the god Belenos, symbolizes the desire and need to “burn away” the old to make room for the new. Reinterpreted over the centuries through a Christian lens as well, it is still celebrated in many places with different rituals and choreographies, always attracting large public participation thanks to its festive and communal nature: around the fire, people exchange New Year wishes while sipping warm mulled wine.

Among all these celebrations, the Epiphany in Tarcento enjoys special and well-deserved fame. Organized as a true historical reenactment, it rekindles emotions that never truly faded. It begins with a long and lively vigil: on the evening of January 5th, the pignarulârs, who in the previous days have prepared the woodpiles and pyres in the hamlets and on the surrounding hills, lead a joyful torchlit procession through the streets of the town, ending the evening with the spectacular race of fiery carts.

On the afternoon of January 6th, the town center comes alive with the historical parade of noble lords and ladies of 13th-century Friuli, reenacting the solemn feudal investiture of noble Artico of Castel Porpetto by the Patriarch of Aquileia, which took place in 1290.

The event is narrated by the Vecchio Venerando, a figure halfway between priest and village elder, who invites everyone to follow him up the hill, torch in hand, for the lighting of the “Pignarûl Grant.” Based on the direction of the smoke, the Vecchio Venerando will give his predictions for the new year. Afterwards, all the other bonfires in the basin surrounding Tarcento are lit, creating a deeply evocative spectacle.