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Ongoing Preparations for Bethlehem f’Ghajnsielem 2016
The time has come once again to open the doors of Bethlehem in Ghajnsielem. The eighth edition of this great event will see its opening on Sunday, 11th December.
We are proud to say, that this event, which is organised by the Ghajnsielem Local Council, has become the main attraction during the Christmas season on our small island. Visited yearly by thousands of people from all over the world, this live crib is spread over 20,000sqm of land and is proudly animated by a great number of villagers. It is fondly built by a numerous number of volunteers who have their local village and this wonderful and unique creation of a live crib at heart. The crib is animated during weekends and public holidays.
Like every other year, new attractions will be added in Bethlehem in Ghajnsielem. This year a new wooden bridge feature from Mgarr Road Entrance is to be introduced. A re-enactment by Roman soldiers will also be performed both at Fort Chambray and at Bethlehem in Ghajnsielem itself. All the stalls from previous years will obviously be there also during this edition, including the crafts area, the wine tavern, the bakery, the carpenter, the blacksmith, an open air market and the popular Inn. Another new trade for this year is the old method of “pasturi” making, a tradition of creating nativity characters. The main attraction remains the grotto, with St. Joseph, St. Mary and Baby Jesus, the so called Nativity.
This year’s edition will take an intercultural aspect as participants from twinned localities to Ghajnsielem and other Gozitan Local councils are to participate by dressing up as a biblical characters.
Bethlehem in Ghajnsielem will close its doors to the public on Sunday the 8th January 2017 with the Grand Final – The arrival of the Three Kings!