Saint Nicholas Day and Christmas lights

A stroll through Bari Vecchia, between Saint Nicholas and Christmas lights

I'm happy to note how Bari surprises me more and more every year.

Yesterday there were two events, the lighting of the Christmas tree in Piazza del Ferrarese (Bari vecchia) coinciding with the feast of San Nicola , the patron saint of Bari.

December 6th , as per tradition, began at dawn, at 5:00 am to be precise, with many faithful who crowded the Basilica of San Nicola for the celebration of Holy Mass, followed by the ritual of hot chocolate and the torchlight procession.

In the evening, the lighting of the tree officially marked the beginning of Christmas for the people of Bari . Meanwhile, the residents also ventured into the narrow streets of the old town to enjoy the lights that were inaugurated just a few days ago.

Of course, I couldn't be missing from these Bari residents, so here are some images I captured to give visitors to this blog a small taste of what Bari has to offer during the Christmas period ... simply a magnificent atmosphere worthy of this beautiful city.