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"Living Bethlehem", the ritual that brings back biblical scenes in northern Albania (PHOTOS)

2024-12-24 18:23:51Aktualitet SHKRUAR NGA NENSI BOGDANI

 

"Living Bethlehem", the ritual that brings back biblical scenes in
The Living Bethlehem ritual has now become a symbol of the village of Hajmel, where since 2018, local residents and Capuchin friars have been bringing biblical scenes to the public.

 

 

For seven years now, residents of the village of Hajmel and surrounding areas have been staging the "Living Bethlehem" ritual, where hundreds of volunteer actors bring ancient biblical scenes to life, while thousands of visitors come to admire the scenes in the open air for four hours.

Under the cloudy sky of a December afternoon, in the village of Hajmel, which lies between Lezha and Shkodra, the voices of hundreds of residents can be heard in the distance as they prepare to begin the staging of the "Living Bethlehem" ritual, just a few days before Christmas.

 

"Living Bethlehem", the ritual that brings back biblical scenes in
Young people from the village and surrounding areas play various roles from ancient times, in the open air, for about four hours straight.

 

As thousands of visitors wait their turn for the doors of the show to open, amateur actors dressed in traditional clothing from before the birth of Christ have taken their places in wooden and straw huts prepared by them for months especially for this staging.

 

"Living Bethlehem", the ritual that brings back biblical scenes in
The 'Living Bethlehem' ritual is staged on Christmas Eve, to commemorate the birth of Jesus and the way of life at that time.

 

The tradition of the "Living Bethlehem" in northern Albania originated in 2018, when for seven years on Christmas Eve, residents of the villages of Hajmel, Nënshat, and Dheu i Lehtë have been voluntarily involved in organizing this ritual that recalls biblical scenes from antiquity.

 

"Living Bethlehem", the ritual that brings back biblical scenes in
Actors divided into wooden and straw huts, where each performs an ancient craft from ancient times under the fire.

 

"This is not just something religious. This goes beyond faith, it is a combination of acting, theatre, faith and art," Mark Hilaj, a professional actor and one of the organizers of the ritual since its inception, told BIRN.

 

"Living Bethlehem", the ritual that brings back biblical scenes in
Volunteer actors reenacting iron forging from ancient times.

 

Residents act out various roles in the open air, ranging from forging iron, treating wounds for the sick, grinding flour and preparing bread, caring for children, the birth of Jesus, and many more.

 

"Living Bethlehem", the ritual that brings back biblical scenes in
Volunteer actors dressed in ancient clothing during the reenactment of the Living Bethlehem

 

The Capuchin friars in Albania take care of every detail of the ritual's progress from its beginning at 4:00 PM until its conclusion at 8:00 PM.

“Every year we change the scenes a bit, so that there is always something different for visitors,” Fra Gjon Shtjefni, one of the Capuchin friars who organizes the ritual, told BIRN.

"Living Bethlehem", the ritual that brings back biblical scenes in
An improvised hut as a pharmacy for treating the sick from ancient times

The Living Bethlehem staging will be held on two other dates for visitors, on December 26 and January 2./ BIRN

"Living Bethlehem", the ritual that brings back biblical scenes in
The 'Living Bethlehem' ritual is staged on Christmas Eve, to commemorate the birth of Jesus and the way of life at that time.

"Living Bethlehem", the ritual that brings back biblical scenes in"Living Bethlehem", the ritual that brings back biblical scenes in

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