(8 Feb) – The Holy Land, the cradle of Christianity, hosted a nativity scenes from the Trentino region and the association ‘Amici del Presepio di Tesero’ for the first time. A real success, with more than 60,000 visits between December 20th and January 10th, an average of over 2,700 people a day. Components of the association and a group of firemen from Tesero have built in December a life-size nativity scene which was exhibited in the cloister of Santa Caterina’s Basilica, communicating with the Grotto of the Nativity in Bethlehem. At the same time, in Jerusalem, there were two exhibitions – in the Latin Patriarchate and in the Custody of the Holy Land – of the oldest and most important nativity scenes of the Fiemme Valley Christmas crib-making tradition. Also in Jerusalem, the large Nativity scene made from fabric, from Isera, a very old village near Rovereto, were on display in the church of the Latin Patriarchate.
Great success even for the exhibitions: about a hundred daily visits at the Custody and fifty at the Patriarchate. The life-size Nativity in Bethlehem to set up, consisting of nine figures, can be visited until February 12. “In Bethlehem – said Father Pizzaballa, Custodian of the Holy Land – it’s nice to see everyone, absolutely everyone, stop to take a picture at the cribs from Trentino. Pilgrims, Christians of all communities, Russian, Greek, Orthodox and even Protestant, not to mention Muslims. A great success on all fronts. ” The initiative “The Trentino in the Holy Land. The Crib: acceptance and peace” will end with a pilgrimage: the pilgrims will depart from Trentino this evening for the Holy Land, along with civil and religious authorities of the province of Trento. In the program, in addition to visiting the holy places, there are official meetings with local authorities. (Gil)
PREVIOUS NATIVITY SCENES FROM THE TRENTINO REGION
The Province of Trento and the association ‘Amici del Presepio di Tesero’ have been behind a number of important initiatives: from the large Nativity scene in St. Peter’s Square in 2006 and 2007 to the one in Krakow in 2008, from the Nativity scene for L’Aquila in 2009 to the ones in Assisi and Istanbul in 2010. This was the first time in Jerusalem. The initiative was promoted by the Autonomous Province of Trento with the Patronage of the Consulate General of Italy in Jerusalem, the Custody of the Holy Land, the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem and thanks to the collaboration of: Rondine Cittadella della Pace di Arezzo, the Associazione Amici del Presepio di Tesero, the Autonomous Region of Trentino Alto Adige, the Town Council of Tesero, B.I.M. dell’Adige, Trentino Marketing, the Tourist Board of the Fiemme Valley, Cooperazione Trentina and the Archdiocese of Trento – Pastoral for the Sick and Pilgrimages.