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2 September 2010

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Polish Crèches in Brussels
Belgium, Brussels, Basilica of Koekelberg, November 28, 2003 - January 26, 2004
languages: Polski  / English 
 

From November 28, 2003, to January 26, 2004, visitors to the Basilica of Koekelberg in Brussels will have an opportunity to see several dozen examples of the most beautiful Polish crèches and traditional Christmas ornaments.

Christmas is fast approaching and this occasion will be marked in Brussels by events that will embody the unique ambiance of Polish Christmas Eve.
From November 28, 2003, to January 26, 2004, visitors to the Basilica of Koekelberg in Brussels will have an opportunity to see several dozen examples of the most beautiful Polish crèches and traditional Christmas ornaments.

The tradition of making crèches appeared in Poland with the arrival of the Franciscan Order. The first crèches were created by placing static figures in front of altars. During the Baroque, the cast of figures used in nativity scenes was expanded to include secular characters. When French marionette theatre appeared in Poland in the 18th century, it contributed significantly to the evolution of this tradition. Scholars of puppet theatre suspect that at the beginning of the 19th century, artisans in Krakow began to build small chapels for the staging of marionette plays. The tradition took its current form in the mid 19th century, when stonemasons and builders began to create crèches as a source of additional income in the fall and winter months. In time, a separate guild of crèche-makers was founded in Krakow. The Krakow crèche is typically a miniaturized, slender, fairy-tale building with domed towers. This serves as the setting for arranging scenes depicting the mystery of the Nativity. The crèches reflect the ambiance of Krakow and reflect the city's architecture. Their creators use motifs drawn from St. Mary's Church, the Sukiennice Market Hall, the Barbakan, Wawel Castle, the Florian Gate, and the Slowacki Theatre. They add original ornamentation and supplement this with fairy-tale elements.
The exhibition in Brussels will also include crèches produced by folk artists. These small wooden models of the facades of country churches are used by carolers in rural areas. Their open "ground-floor" sections serve as stages for puppet plays. Carolers wander around with these crèches during Christmas time, bringing the good news of the Savior's birth, singing carols and pastorals, and offering expressions of goodwill for the New Year. This beautiful tradition remains alive to this day and is particularly vital in southern Poland.

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