The Nativity Scene in the Church of San Pellegrino inside Vatican City
When musicians point us toward the manger
It addresses anyone who draws near, inviting them to contemplate the mystery of the birth of Jesus. The figure is of a musician of the Band of the Gendarmerie Corps, standing and facing outward from the Nativity scene. He joins the choir of Angels in accompanying the chant Venite Adoremus. With his music he breaks the silence of the night to make known to all the most astonishing news: the Lord is born in Bethlehem of the Virgin Mary.
He is one of the figures in a distinctive Nativity scene set up in the Church of San Pellegrino in the Vatican. All the components of the Directorate of Security Services and Civil Protection are represented: from Gendarmes to Firefighters in operational gear, to service personnel. All direct their gaze toward the Nativity, united in a shared dimension of vigilance, faith and service.
The work, created by Maestro Domenico Bonifacio—an artist already known for the Nativity scene in the Clementine Hall of the Apostolic Palace and for numerous other creations—goes far beyond simple figurative storytelling. In the carefully shaped material, allusions emerge to Mount La Verna, where Saint Francis received the gift of the stigmata.
The symbolic heart of the composition takes shape through two uniformed figures, true narrative pivots of the entire scene:
The Gendarme on duty: positioned to one side, steadfast and alert, he represents the historic mission of protecting the See of Peter. In him, duty becomes silent and constant presence, a discreet yet indispensable bulwark.
The Gendarme in adoration: kneeling like a simple believer, he embodies the inner dimension of the Corps—of one who, having set aside the weight of office, recognizes himself as a pilgrim before the Mystery.
Three Gendarmes wearing uniforms—one belonging to the historic Pontifical Gendarmerie and the others to the current Vatican Corps—converse on the left side of the Nativity scene, creating an ideal thread that runs across the ages. They speak of a continuity marked by loyalty and dedication to the Church, a commitment that knows no interruption.
The Nativity scene is set within the ruins of a pagan building, a symbolic choice alluding to the triumph of Christianity. In this space there is also a small sacred shrine dedicated to Saint Michael the Archangel, recognized as the heavenly protector of the Corps.
On the right side, in a setting reminiscent of the Campo de’ Fiori area of Rome, a scene of simple, everyday life unfolds, animated by a shepherd leading his sheep toward the Nativity. He carries in his arms a basket full of produce from the land to offer to the Savior.
Completing the scene is the Fontana delle Api, reproduced with extraordinary attention to detail. It is not merely an architectural reference, but a place laden with memory: for years, that fountain offered refreshment to the Gendarmes engaged in border service near the Sant’Anna gate. History, tradition and faith intertwine in a Nativity scene that seeks to honor all those who serve each day the Successor of Peter and the State of Vatican City.
