THE CEPPO OR TREE OF LIGHT

 

The Ceppo (chayp-poe) or Tree of light dates back to the 1500s in Tuscany, Italy. In pagan times, the Tuscans burned a log to commemorate the calends. The calends are the first day of the month. A major event concerning the burning of the Ceppo was at the end of December, in anticipation of the Calend of January. The people attached festivities to the event as the people of England did in the Yule log celebrations and in today’s New Year’s Eve parties. In another holiday, the Festa di San Giuseppe, the celebrants light fires to venerate the Saint the night before his feast day. These fires are visible from afar as sparkling stars through some of the mountainous areas of Italy.

 In Italian Ceppo means stump or log, similarly in modern times often when builders of homes put the rafters of the roof on a new house, carpenters frequently place a branch at the peak of the work until the job is finished. This is in recognition of Jupiter, the god of all gods, whose sacred tree was the oak. Because of this some considered the calends’ fires as a pagan ritual. 

In Rome, the future St. Boniface, with permission of Pope Zachary, abolished the burning of the Ceppo. Many accept that the people replaced it by building a facsimile of a tree from wood. The new Ceppo consists of tiered graduating shelves constructed around a shaft, the largest being at the bottom, and the smallest at the top. The shelves are painted and/or covered with colored paper or cloth on which are placed figurines representing Christmas. Usually the first level has the nativity scene and the above levels, greenery, fruit and other decorations. Lights are also used. 

The people of Italy still use the Ceppo, but many are adopting green artificial trees in it stead. During the holidays the Italians emphasize the nativity scene and the celebrating of Christmas Day as a concentration on Christ. Gift giving comes later during the Epiphany, i.e., the Wise men finding Christ and bearing gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.  Consequently, this developed into gift giving among family, friends, and to charities.

It is interesting to note that the word Ceppo derived from the Latin word cippium, which were stone stump shaped landmarks, marking distances on the ancient Roman Highways.