The giant suspended star

Every year, a large and bright star shines in the sky of Torrebelvicino, in the province of Vicenza. But the one we want to talk about is not just any celestial body; it is the largest suspended comet star in Europe (and it might be just a few steps away from your city!). In this festive season, we bring you its story: an article taken from the website of the Gruppo Stella Cometa Torrebelvicino that tells us how it all began. So... enjoy your reading and happy holidays!

It was the distant Christmas of 1985 when a small Comet Star appeared on the bell tower of the church in Torrebelvicino. It was very bright, even though it was made up of just a few light bulbs. Its creators watched proudly from a nearby bar, relaxing with a hot chocolate after their hard work.

But hot chocolate, as we know, can inspire strange ideas… From a small comet on a bell tower, they began to think of creating a much larger one, visible from far away and, above all, announcing the arrival of Christmas to everyone. A suitable and reachable location needed to be found! Among the many ideas considered, the best seemed to be Mount Cengìo; so, in the autumn of 1986, a dozen enthusiastic and willing young people gathered in a garage to start preparing all the materials. It seems easy, but how much work there is to do! Electrical wires need to be prepared, lamp holders need to be assembled, and above all, every single light bulb that will illuminate the largest Comet Star ever seen needs to be checked!

Days go by, and what was once just an idea slowly begins to take shape, especially when some of the boys climb the slopes of the mountain. Assisted by the rest of the team, who remain down in the village with binoculars, they position nylon bags in the dense forest. It’s the first time, and there are no established reference points; they need to create them to know where to place the cables that will support the Star. In fact, the first year it was built, the Comet was not positioned as we see it now, but was oriented to the right, although the center always remained in the same place in the following years.

Time passes, work continues in the garage, and new problems arise: it’s not just about building the Star; it has to function too! It’s necessary to find a sufficiently large generator because there is no electricity at the summit of the mountain. Additionally, they need to figure out how to transport all the materials to the top. Not to mention the vigil: in December, especially at night, it gets a bit chilly in the mountains… but the Star cannot shine alone; someone has to stay up top to ensure everything goes well. Therefore, a small shelter needs to be built, stocked with firewood and provisions, as well as anything that might be needed in case of emergencies.

Finally, Christmas Eve arrives: everything is ready, the cart has already been loaded and attached to a tractor, so early in the morning, everyone sets off towards the summit of Cengìo. There’s a lot of work to do, and there’s no time to lose; the Star must be ready by dusk.

As the sun sets, the first Comet Star of Cengìo lights up: what a wonder! It’s not very big, only a hundred meters long, and there are a total of eighty light bulbs, which can sometimes only be glimpsed when a branch hides them, but its light fills everyone who built it, and those who admire it, with a new warmth of Christmas.

In 1987, the idea arises to build an even larger Star, visible from further away. The mountain itself comes to the rescue with its particular orographic formation: the Star can be built suspended over the gully that separates the two peaks of Cengìo. First, it’s necessary to establish the length and exact position of the two cables that will form the comet's tails. To do this, one must climb up the steep forest and descend on double ropes along the rocky walls multiple times. Then, they need to prepare the electrical system, find a larger generator, set up the anchors for the cables on the ledges, and, lastly, pull them from one side of the gully to the other. The forest is not only steep but also very dense; an idea is needed to thread the cables between the trees. Some try launching the head of the wire with a slingshot, others with a bow, some think of using a paraglider, and someone finds the simplest idea: stones. They throw the stone, tied to the wire, over the trees, then retrieve it and throw it again until it reaches the walls where the anchors are ready, allowing them to pull the nylon cables and subsequently the steel load-bearing cables that will support the bulbs of the tails.

Another Christmas Eve arrives, and everyone is ready: they set off early in the morning with the tractor from the Manfron district or on foot. After three-quarters of an hour, everyone is in their positions, and the new Star begins to take shape. This time, everything must be ready by sunset; everyone needs to carefully perform the tasks assigned to them. The bulbs are screwed in five at a time, then slid along the cable; this precaution serves to check from time to time that all of them work, ensuring the success of the job. They start with the short tail, located on the lower Sojo (832m above sea level), and continue from the upper Sojo (838m above sea level) with the longer tail.

The sun begins to set behind the mountain, and the hard work of a group of intrepid friends is about to show its splendor to everyone. Everyone gathers on the ridge overlooking the installation, the countdown begins... A cry of joy breaks the silence that falls when the light of the Comet Star illuminates the surrounding forest.

It measures more than 360 meters, and 165 light bulbs provide the brightness to illuminate a Star visible from many kilometers away. But there is more than just electricity illuminating that Star: there is also all the heart, joy, happiness, sweat, and effort that a group of young people, with their families forced to take turns giving up their presence at the Christmas dinner, have poured into this work to create something unique, that can bring a bit of that Christmas spirit into homes each time, the same spirit that drove them to climb a mountain and build a Great Star for everyone to show the world that Christmas has arrived!

Many things have happened from that wonderful moment to today, from the total renovation of the 1200 meters of electrical infrastructure in 1996 to the fire in 1998 that required cutting the nylon wires; from the introduction of the central lighthouse of the Star to the alternating lighting of the rays. But perhaps the most beautiful Star remains still, like a true comet from Bethlehem that crosses the sky every Christmas to announce the birth of the Baby Jesus.

Only one year did the Star not shine in the Christmas sky; the snow that fell on the night of December 23 prevented the tractor from passing along the road from the Manfron district, which allows material to be brought within about two hundred meters of the Barracks, from where a winch is used. The Barracks itself underwent restoration after an extraordinary snowfall: more than a meter and a half of snow overwhelmed the good intentions of its roof to remain standing, but by the following December, it had already been repaired and was ready to welcome back those who would work on it.

[Adapted from "Storia di una Stella" - https://www.gruppostellacometa.com]