In the city of Bari, Italy, Christmas festivities begin on December 6th with the Feast of St. Nicholas. The Basilica and surrounding streets fill with faithful attendees at a morning mass honoring St. Nicholas, followed by a traditional torchlight procession through the city. Throughout the day, residents and visitors can purchase local snacks like polenta and pettole being fried in the streets, or enjoy a warm drink and sweets from old shops in the historic town center. A statue of St. Nicholas is also paraded through the Old City streets in the afternoon, before fireworks conclude the celebrations in the evening.

1. Christmas
festivals

2. In Bari Christmas begins
December 6th : Feast of St.
Nicholas. At 4.30 am in the
Church begins the
celebration of Mass in
honor of the saint.
The Basilica and the nearby
streets are crowded with
the faithful and everywhere
you see a sweet
atmosphere of joy.

3. In honor of St. Nicholas is also the traditional torchlight of the “Company of Bari”. At
5:15, from different parts of the city, faithful groups walk with lighted torches . They
meet in front of the church and pray together with the saint.

4. People buy pieces of polenta (sgagliozze) and pettole,
that some women fry in the streets of old town.

5. After the mass you can buy a cup of hot
chocolate…

6. … or buy sweets in an oldest grocery
“Marnarid”, in the old town.

7. The feast continues in the
afternoon, when the statue
of the saint is carried in
procession in the streets of
Old Bari . Late in the evening
the fireworks conclude the
feast.

8. In some countries, near Bari, for example Molfetta, this
night St. Nicholas brings gifts to children.