Birth of Jesus in Spain

Belen scenes for sale - Seville

Waiting in line to see Store-Window-Belen

MADRID
"Belen" is a new word for us.  It refers to displays of the birth-of-Jesus. We've always used the French word "creche", in Mexico we saw the "nacimiento".  Here in Spain it is a "belen".  Each church has one on display in scales of 1/2 or 1/3...in one case a 1:1 scale!  In the square in front of the grand Seville cathedral there is a public square dedicated to extensive booths selling figures and props for home belen.  In Madrid many stalls sell live green moss, which gives the belen a northern european green lushness out of place with the landscape of Bethlehem or - for that matter  --southern Spain.

Modern interpretation of the Christ Story

The Spanish belen range from cutesy dolls to hand crafted wooden figures in scales from tiny to grand.  Near our hotel in Seville is an exhibit of Playmobil belen. We are surprised to see the display of belen in what we consider secular settings.  On our first night in Seville we found a large department store in Victoria Square featuring a sequence of four belens showing the story of Jesus' birth from the annunciation through to the arrival of the wise men.  We stood in a line cordoned off by velvet ropes.  In front of us were a group craning their necks to see the displays.  They were wearing paper Burger King crowns.  Modern Magi.


Peter