BariExperience.com | December 6th, St. Nicholas' Day! Dawn Mass in the Basilica and the tradition of hot chocolate in the alleys of Bari Vecchia. The torchlight procession of the faithful, amidst Christmas lights and tradition, takes place during the Christmas holidays in Bari.

The dawn of Saint Nicholas, between celebration and tradition. Discover the celebration in the alleys of Bari Vecchia!

Every year, on December 6th , there is a fixed date with the traditions and celebrations for what is commonly known as "Saint Nicholas Day .

On December 6th , in fact, the Basilica of Saint Nicholas and old town of Bari celebrate the Saint with various rites and popular traditions that are repeated every year to renew the strong bond that binds the people of Bari and the faithful to the city's patron saint.

To pay homage to Saint Nicholas , on the night between 5 and 6 December the Basilica opens its doors to all the faithful, who are normally very numerous, to be able to attend the celebration of the first Holy Mass of the day , all this while among the characteristic alleys of old Bari (decorated with lights) a mix of aromas begins to rise for the preparation of hot chocolate, sgagliozze, pettole and Christmas sweets .

Why, you ask? Popular Bari tradition dictates that after the 5:00 a.m. Mass, a sweet breakfast of hot chocolate , prepared in the alleys of the old town. However, there are also slices of fried polenta (what we previously called sgagliozze) , pettole, and, given the festive atmosphere, even typical Bari-style Christmas .

But the tradition , which has always been a mix of faith, worship, and gastronomy, also includes the St. Nicholas torchlight procession to the Basilica , the lighting of the Christmas tree in Piazza del Ferrarese (in the evening) , and finally the fireworks display on the Sant'Antonio pier (one of the most beautiful viewpoints on the Bari waterfront) .
As you can imagine, St. Nicholas' Day officially marks the arrival of Christmas in Bari , and it couldn't be otherwise, considering that St. Nicholas, in addition to being the patron saint of the Apulian capital and the protector of another beautiful European city, Amsterdam, is also the saint who inspired the myth of Santa Claus . Yes, you read that right, Bari and Christmas have a very strong bond thanks to St. Nicholas , an aspect that will make your Christmas in the city even more special.

It goes without saying that if you happen to find yourself in Bari December 6th , or in any case in the vicinity of the capital, it could be very interesting to witness this evocative ritual in the streets of old Bari , followed – obviously – by breakfast with a nice cup of hot chocolate St. Nicholas ' Day , as well as the beginning of Christmas in Bari .