Virtual Tour

The Bethlehem families we made Almela-Pascual and Pascual-Domenech, with the help of a few friends. This Christmas we are 35 years old.

Its dimensions are 50m 2 and each year approximately add new figures. We are now prowling the 7.000 figures between animals and characters, ranging from 1 cm smaller figure to the larger 18 cm.

The Bethlehem is composed of two parts.

The Bible, presented in chronological order, starting with the Annunciation and ending with Jesus among the doctors, and they are showing different scenes from the life of Jesus.

The popular party, called L’pot Nadal, which is a replica of the cabin Valencian kitchen and all its accessories characteristic of the last century: the characters and field tools.

The crib has also objects and figures moving like the mill, the ride, the trail, the laundress, the blacksmith, the weaver, the fountains, the river, etc.. It also has special effects like the change from day to night, sunrise, the birds singing, snow.

In the images that follow attempt to present a representative sample of Bethlehem although reduced.

The Bethlehem Christmas collects on its behalf the mystery of Christ’s birth, which fact, from the historical point of view, is contained in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke. San Mateo, in the first chapter, contains the genealogy of Jesus and St. Joseph’s doubts about the future birth. In the second chapter shows the Adoration of the Magi, the flight into Egypt, the Massacre of the Innocents and the definitive establishment of Nazareth. San Lucas, so much more extensive and detailed, which is referred to the birth itself. In the first chapter talks about the genealogy of Jesus, the annunciation to Mary of the birth of his son, and the visit of Mary to her cousin Elizabeth. In the second chapter, the Nativity in Bethlehem, the presentation in the temple and settlement in Nazareth.

Consolidating the accounts of both evangelists, we can see, in chronological order, the events and moments of the story at hand, highlighting those passages which are usually represented in the traditional nativity:

Isaiah’s prophecy

The prophecy of Isaiah is the first of the nativity scenes where we see the prophet Isaiah’s prophecy telling of the coming of Jesus.

Betrothal of Mary and Joseph

At that time, the engagement between two people was governed strictly by curious customs and complicated rules. Parents or guardians of the bride is plotted with the matchmaker of the people to be directed to the groom-usually through a rabbi so we can promise his daughter. This commitment usually took place a year before the wedding.

The betrothal was endorsing before a notary, essential character in the towns of Judea at that time, which stretched before two witnesses the marriage contract, the Ketuba. Following this tradition, Joseph and Mary were married.

The Annunciation to Mary (LC I, 26-38)

The Angel Gabriel appeared to Mary, betrothed to ‘a man named Joseph, of the house of David’ and greeted with the words: “Hail Mary, full of grace,” and announcing the conception, to which Mary replied accepting the will of God: “Behold the handmaid of the Lord, be it unto me according to your word ‘.

The Visitation of Mary to her cousin Elizabeth (LC I, 39-56)

Mary moved from Nazareth, a town in the mountains of Judea intending to visit her cousin Elizabeth, wife of Zechariah. In his greeting, answering it with the words: ‘Blessed are you among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb. ”

The evangelist closes the account of the visitation of Mary putting in mouth singing the Magnificat: My soul magnifies the Lord, because he has set in the humility of his handmaid ‘.

According to some commentators, Elizabeth’s house was in the village of Ain-Karim, in the Judean Mountains, about seven kilometers west of Jerusalem and it seems that Mary stayed with her cousin until the birth of her son, John the Bautista.

THE DREAM OF SAN JOSE (MT I, 18-25 Y MT II, 13-15)

In the first reference refers to the doubts of Joseph regarding Mary’s maternity future.

The Evangelist tells us that in dreams an angel of the Lord appears that, on the first occasion, San Jose clarifies the mystery of the virginal conception.

Way to Bethlehem (LC II, 1-20)

Went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the inhabitants of the Empire empadronasen. The registration had to be done in the home town of the tribe to which he belonged, so that, as St. Joseph of the house of David, had to register in Bethlehem and from there they went.

Enumeration (LC II, 1-20)

It begins by providing a historical fact, which helps determine the date of the birth of Jesus: the decree of registration was given in times of Governor of Syria, Quirino, which according to the scholars have happened in December of the year 748 of Rome, in which If the first year of the Christian Era should correspond to the Roman 749.

LOOKING POSADA (LC II, 1-20)

Mary and Joseph did not manage to find inn in Bethlehem where shelter and rest from their long journey from Nazareth ..

BIRTH (LC II, 1-20)

It happened, while they were there, the days were accomplished childbirth and gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger.

The Annunciation to the Shepherds (LC II, 1-20)

The appearance of the angel to the shepherds to announce the birth of Jesus and how the shepherds, to the announcement of the Angel, came to the manger to adore the Child: “The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had seen and ear, according to what they had said ‘.

Circumcision (LC II, 21-38)

Eight days after the circumcision was performed, as was the custom of the Hebrew people, putting the name of Jesus.

The Presentation in the Temple (LC II, 21-38)

At forty days after birth marked the rite of purification of the Mother and Child presentation in the Temple of Jerusalem, according to the Mosaic Law, by offering a holocaust, in the case of Jesus, by the poverty of their parents, should be of a pigeon or a turtledove.

RIDE OF THE KING (MT II, 1-9)

Magi from the east arrived before Herod and asked, Where is the king of the Jews, that is born? For we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him. Then Herod, inquired of them diligently what time the star appeared, and sent them to Bethlehem (…) They [the kings] had heard the king, [Herod] went, and lo, the star which they saw in the east went before them, till it came and stood over where the child ”

THE Adoration of the Magi (MT II, 9-12)

The story concerns the appearance of the star, the arrival of the Magi, his interview with King Herod, the reference and confirmation that the birth had been in Bethlehem, Herod’s interest in knowing details on Children and finally , worship and offering of the gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.

EDICT OF HEROD

Herod, enraged that the Magi had left without informing on Children, ordered the massacre of all infants under two years, thereby fulfilling a prophecy of Jeremiah about that fact.

The Flight into Egypt (MT II, 14-15)

San Jose, obeying the command of the angel who appeared to him in a dream, he rose and took the child and his mother left for Egypt, remaining there until the death of Herod.

Benefit from the clarification of the commentators of the Scriptures, we must assume that traveled for about three days for the route from Gaza to the city of On (Heliopolis).

The Slaughter of the Innocents (MT II, 16-18)

It is thought that children slaughtered fulfill the command of Herod’s edict would be between twenty and thirty, by reference to this amount, the population of the area at the time and, consequently, the number of births likely.

THE ESTABLISHMENT IN NAZARETH (MT II, 19-23 Y LC II, 39-40)

After Herod’s death, St. Joseph is warned by the Angel again to return to the land of Israel and, prudently, and outside that Archelaus was reigning over Judea instead of Herod, you decide to move to Galilee, to the city of Nazareth, what later would be called Jesus of Nazareth.

Jesus among the Doctors (L II, 41-50)

His parents went every year to Jerusalem at the feast of the Passover. When I was twelve years, to raise their parents, to meet the festive ritual, and turn them fulfilled the days, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem without his parents noticing. Thinking he was in the caravan, went the way of a day. Buscáronle among relatives and acquaintances, not find him, they returned to Jerusalem, seeking him. After three days they found him in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. Who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers.

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