In celebration of the holidays, La Gazzetta dello Sport has released some fabulous ads that play on Italy’s tradition of creating elaborate presepe or nativity scenes.
Tradition meets the cutting edge of sport in each of these ads for they depict carefully crafted wisemen and shepherds who celebrate the birth of Jesus in the most sporting manners.
Above, the three wisemen pedal furiously towards Bethlehem, holding their gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh in their hands as they go. But, these aren’t just generic wisemen figures! The Gazzetta dello Sport website gives the figures fictional identities, calling them Danil di Gaspare, Andy Melchiorre, and Eddy Baldassare (plays on the supposed names of the three kings - Caspar, Melchior, and Balthasar) and claims they’re competing in the biking world’s most important event, the Giro di Palestine.
Below, the soccer-playing shepherd known as Rove Sciath is shown in the historic match between Real Bethlehem and Atletico Nazareth, as he scores the winning goal for Atletico Nazareth. His formative years as a young soccer player were spent in Jordan and at 15 years of age he was acquired by Atletico Nazareth for the price of an ox and an ass and by 18 was competing in the big leagues. Now, to celebrate his big victory, he’ll be performing a multiplication of loaves and fishes.
