Fun on Via San Gregorio: Naples Part 2

Naples is known for many things throughout Italy and the world. Naples is a port city, and thus has been central to the Italian economy before a united Italy existed. There are churches and buildings that are hundreds and hundreds of years old all over the place! Lilli took me past her University which is in Naples. She said that it is the oldest university in Naples, which means the oldest university in Italy, which means the oldest university in the world. Crazy.

Naples is situated on a hill overlooking the sea. It really is such a beautiful place!

 I think I could live right on top of this hill!!

On Monday, which was Halloween, Lilli, Nonna, the kids and I went to Via San Gregorio. Now, you would think since it was Halloween that we went there because the street was haunted...nope this is the street in Naples known for the many stores and booths that sell hand made ceramic and wax nativity pieces. The assembly of the Creche is an extremely important part of the Neapolitan Christmas traditions. Families in Naples do not just build a simple manger scene. The create the entire town of Bethlehem complete with store fronts, people working, vendors selling fruit, flowers, and cheese, all centered around Mary and Joseph and Baby Jesus.

The pieces are beautiful! And if you go to the right store they are completely made by hand, which means they are very expensive! Here are a few pics San Gregorio.

 This table was full of different ceramic food items to add to the Nativity Scene!

 Nonna Paola showing the girls something about one of the parts of the Nativity!

I wish you all could see the detail on these figurines. They are so beautiful!

I bought a Mary, Joseph, and Baby Jesus to start my own Neapolitan Creche. The girls were really excited that I wanted to do this! 

We then went in to a few churches and into a Cloister which is where the nuns live. The church was beautiful like all the Italian churches are! Then once inside the cloister, we went in to these little spaces where the cloistered nuns used to sit and look down into the church to watch the mass. At the doors of the cloister there were these other, little doors, and Nonna Paola explained that this is where people would bring their unwanted babies, and the nuns would take the babies and care for them and raise them. I thought that was a nice thing for the nuns to do.

I am not going to lie as we walked through the garden of the cloister I kept singing to myself..."How do you solve a problem like Maria." If I do become a nun while I am here (just kidding...) I think I would live in this cloister. The nuns there seemed nice. 

Here are a few pics:

 The typical Catholic Crucifix: Jesus still on the Cross

 I snuck this picture right before I was told to put my camera away.

 Looking down at the church from where the nuns used to watch Mass.

The entrance to the Cloister.

Although I loved Naples, I was really excited to get back to Rome. It has really started to feel like home!