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Photo: Matthew Brown / Hearst Connecticut Media
Duilio Faugno adjusts a scene of his families presepio display that is set up in the livingroom of his home in Stamford, Conn. on Thursday, Dec. 21, 2017. For three generations, the Faugno family maintains a Christmas tradition that began in Italy in the 1200's building a presepio, using figurines from the Naples (Italy) area and natural items found around the home.
lessDuilio Faugno adjusts a scene of his families presepio display that is set up in the livingroom of his home in Stamford, Conn. on Thursday, Dec. 21, 2017. For three generations, the Faugno family maintains a
... more
Duilio Faugno and his nephew Michael adjust a scenes of a family presepio display that is set up in the livingroom of his home in Stamford, Conn. on Thursday, Dec. 21, 2017. For three generations, the Faugno family maintains a Christmas tradition that began in Italy in the 1200's building a presepio, using figurines from the Naples (Italy) area and natural items found around the home.
lessDuilio Faugno and his nephew Michael adjust a scenes of a family presepio display that is set up in the livingroom of his home in Stamford, Conn. on Thursday, Dec. 21, 2017. For three generations, the Faugno
... more
Michael Faugno replaces a figurine in his family’s presepio display that his uncle, Duilio Faugno, set up in the living room of their Stamford home. Presepio displays are an Italian tradition that combine a nativity scene with town life.
lessMichael Faugno replaces a figurine in his family’s presepio display that his uncle, Duilio Faugno, set up in the living room of their Stamford home. Presepio displays are an Italian tradition that combine a
... more
Duilio Faugno holds a figurine of baby Jesus while being photograph in front of a presepio display that is set up in the livingroom of his home in Stamford, Conn. on Thursday, Dec. 21, 2017. For three generations, the Faugno family maintains a Christmas tradition that began in Italy in the 1200's building a presepio, using figurines from the Naples (Italy) area and natural items found around the home.
lessDuilio Faugno holds a figurine of baby Jesus while being photograph in front of a presepio display that is set up in the livingroom of his home in Stamford, Conn. on Thursday, Dec. 21, 2017. For three
... more
Duilio Faugno and his nephews, Christopher and Michael are photograph with a presepio display that is set up in the livingroom of his home in Stamford, Conn. on Thursday, Dec. 21, 2017. For three generations, the Faugno family maintains a Christmas tradition that began in Italy in the 1200's building a presepio, using figurines from the Naples (Italy) area and natural items found around the home.
lessDuilio Faugno and his nephews, Christopher and Michael are photograph with a presepio display that is set up in the livingroom of his home in Stamford, Conn. on Thursday, Dec. 21, 2017. For three generations,
... more
Michael Faugno admires a presepio display that his Uncle, Duilio Faugno, designed and built in the livingroom of his home in Stamford, Conn. on Thursday, Dec. 21, 2017. For three generations, the Faugno family maintains a Christmas tradition that began in Italy in the 1200's building a presepio, using figurines from the Naples (Italy) area and natural items found around the home.
lessMichael Faugno admires a presepio display that his Uncle, Duilio Faugno, designed and built in the livingroom of his home in Stamford, Conn. on Thursday, Dec. 21, 2017. For three generations, the Faugno family
... more
Duilio Faugnoexplains some of the hand made details he created for a presepio display that is set up in the livingroom of his home in Stamford, Conn. on Thursday, Dec. 21, 2017. For three generations, the Faugno family maintains a Christmas tradition that began in Italy in the 1200's building a presepio, using figurines from the Naples (Italy) area and natural items found around the home.
lessDuilio Faugnoexplains some of the hand made details he created for a presepio display that is set up in the livingroom of his home in Stamford, Conn. on Thursday, Dec. 21, 2017. For three generations, the
... more
Duilio Faugno looks at a figurine of a cheese maker, one of several pieces to an elaborate presepio display that is set up in the livingroom of his home in Stamford, Conn. on Thursday, Dec. 21, 2017. For three generations, the Faugno family maintains a Christmas tradition that began in Italy in the 1200's building a presepio, using figurines from the Naples (Italy) area and natural items found around the home.
lessDuilio Faugno looks at a figurine of a cheese maker, one of several pieces to an elaborate presepio display that is set up in the livingroom of his home in Stamford, Conn. on Thursday, Dec. 21, 2017. For three
... more
A presepio display is photograph in the home of Duilio Faugno in Stamford, Conn. on Thursday, Dec. 21, 2017. For three generations, the Faugno family maintains a Christmas tradition that began in Italy in the 1200's building a presepio, using figurines from the Naples (Italy) area and natural items found around the home.
lessA presepio display is photograph in the home of Duilio Faugno in Stamford, Conn. on Thursday, Dec. 21, 2017. For three generations, the Faugno family maintains a Christmas tradition that began in Italy in the
... more
A presepio display is photograph in the home of Duilio Faugno in Stamford, Conn. on Thursday, Dec. 21, 2017. For three generations, the Faugno family maintains a Christmas tradition that began in Italy in the 1200's building a presepio, using figurines from the Naples (Italy) area and natural items found around the home.
lessA presepio display is photograph in the home of Duilio Faugno in Stamford, Conn. on Thursday, Dec. 21, 2017. For three generations, the Faugno family maintains a Christmas tradition that began in Italy in the
... more
A presepio display is photograph in the home of Duilio Faugno in Stamford, Conn. on Thursday, Dec. 21, 2017. For three generations, the Faugno family maintains a Christmas tradition that began in Italy in the 1200's building a presepio, using figurines from the Naples (Italy) area and natural items found around the home.
lessA presepio display is photograph in the home of Duilio Faugno in Stamford, Conn. on Thursday, Dec. 21, 2017. For three generations, the Faugno family maintains a Christmas tradition that began in Italy in the
... more
A presepio display is photograph in the home of Duilio Faugno in Stamford, Conn. on Thursday, Dec. 21, 2017. For three generations, the Faugno family maintains a Christmas tradition that began in Italy in the 1200's building a presepio, using figurines from the Naples (Italy) area and natural items found around the home.
lessA presepio display is photograph in the home of Duilio Faugno in Stamford, Conn. on Thursday, Dec. 21, 2017. For three generations, the Faugno family maintains a Christmas tradition that began in Italy in the
... more
A presepio display is photograph in the home of Duilio Faugno in Stamford, Conn. on Thursday, Dec. 21, 2017. For three generations, the Faugno family maintains a Christmas tradition that began in Italy in the 1200's building a presepio, using figurines from the Naples (Italy) area and natural items found around the home.
lessA presepio display is photograph in the home of Duilio Faugno in Stamford, Conn. on Thursday, Dec. 21, 2017. For three generations, the Faugno family maintains a Christmas tradition that began in Italy in the
... more
Modern Christmas display powers tradition for Stamford family
STAMFORD — Michael Faugno is as excited about Christmas as a 6-year-old can be, mostly because he helped build the presepio.
When he jumps on the arm of the couch to point out where the baby Jesus will be placed on Christmas Eve, the Wise Men making their way down the mountain, the lit houses, the working water fountain, the tiny cart containing tinier sacks of grain, and other pieces in the diorama, Michael has no idea he is fortifying a tradition.
It connects him to ancient Italy and the saints of his family’s faith, to his grandparents’ birthplace — the village of San Mango sul Calore near Naples — to his great-great uncle the monk, his father, uncle and countless family members he’ll never know who gathered around the presepio each Christmas for generations.
“This year it’s special — it’s ‘way bigger and there’s a light facing on it,” Michael said, dancing under a ceiling fixture trained on the presepio.
It’s because Michael’s uncle, Duilio Faugno, an architect, took over construction this year.
“When I went to Italy recently, I visited a monastery and got some ideas,” Duilio Faugno said. “I bought more pieces.”
For Americans, the diorama is a nativity scene. For Italians, the presepio animates the Christmas story by melding it with town life. Depending on the town, it may be built using grape vines, the wood of olive trees, or, for coastal areas, shells and other things from the sea.
Because his family is from San Mango sul Calore, Faugno built his presepio up the living-room wall using crumbled brown paper to create mountain paths. He used moss to simulate pastures, and built railings out of twigs.
The tradition began in 1223 when, as the story goes, St. Francis of Assisi wished to celebrate a Christmas Mass in the town of Greccio. St. Francis, who became known as the patron saint of animals, wanted to bring the nativity story to life. He decided that, instead of saying Mass in the church, he would do it under the stars, in a clearing of Greccio’s oak forests, before a crib filled with straw and surrounded by animals.
Presepio means “in front of the crib.”
The idea took hold. Soon it spread all over Italy. Eventually, people began creating them for their churches and homes. Around Naples, in particular, artisans made a living crafting terracotta figures for displays that sometimes incorporated hundreds of them.
Duilio Faugno’s father, also named Duilio, began creating a presepio each Christmas soon after he came to Stamford from San Mango sul Calore half a century ago. He started with 20 religious figures given to him by his uncle, who was a monk in the Italian town of Foggia.
“I did it for my sons” — Duilio and Robert — said the senior Faugno, 74. “I wanted them to know all about it.”
It is a joyful thing from a childhood in southern Italy, he said.
“There, it was small and simple. The houses in Italy are very small,” he said.
“We would put the branch of an orange tree over it, with an orange hanging from it,” said his wife, Carmela. “That’s all. We were happy.”
But this is America. And the younger Duilio is an architect with plenty of power strips. So, besides the traditional Mary and Joseph, sheep and goats, shepherds and angels, his presepio has automated pieces from Italy — a mill with a water wheel, a wine press, a woman churning ricotta cheese.
There is a figure depicting men playing cards at a table, a butcher at his counter, a fish seller, a pizza maker, a “dolciere” selling breads and cakes, a chicken coop, a cart full of chestnuts, a man selling provolone cheeses hanging from ropes, and a stand displaying soppressata and prosciutto.
“I do it for my nephews,” the younger Duilio Faugno said of Michael and little Christopher, 2.
It has great meaning, said family friend Tony Smeriglio, a Stamford resident who was born in Calabria, also in southern Italy, and has been friends with the senior Faugno for 45 years.
“I was 9 when I left. I didn’t know where the heck I was going. The day before, I went to say goodbye to all the animals,” Smeriglio said. “We had goats and sheep and rabbits. I told them, ‘I’m not going to see you guys anymore.’”
It was tough for a kid to find his way in a new place, he said. But because Stamford is home to many with Italian roots, he’d occasionally see a presepio at Christmas.
“It makes me remember how I had to put my suit on and my family brought me to church and there was all this singing. You felt happy and friendly toward everybody,” Smeriglio said. “These memories make you feel at ease, at peace.”
And maybe a little excited. On Thursday, Michael Faugno, perhaps a budding architect, removed the pen he was holding on his ear to sketch on a piece of scrap paper how his uncle fashioned railings from twigs. Then he dove under the table holding the presepio to hit the switches and power it up.
“This is why everybody comes over for Christmas,” he said.
acarella@stamfordadvocate.com.
