One of the most important manifestations of beauty and tradition at Christmas are the Nativity Scenes," Nacimientos " or " Belenes " , as they are also known in Mexico, Spain and other Spanish-speaking countries . Starting point while completion December festivities, Nativity Scenes are the group of figures, usually sculptures that reproduce the Holy Family at the time of Christmas.
Since its inception , Nativity Scenes , are created with a variety of materials, shapes and colours , have had a number of essential characters ; the Virgin and baby Jesus , ox, mule, sheep , the Angel , the star, the Three Wise Men and the Shepherds. These are the figures that are a must, but people's creativity, boasting of the imagination, has added other elements that serve to decorate. Sometimes the number of figures is limited to the baby Jesus, St. Joseph, the Virgin Mary, the ox, the mule and eventually the Angel, to represent the " Mystery " . In the Nativity scenes there is a representation of particularly to three topics : a) the birth and the adoration of the shepherds ( on the site ) ; b ) the annunciation of the Angel of the , and c ) the journey and adoration of the Three Wise Men (who is depicted as a white man and elderly , another young and blond and Afro third) . If we consider the above, remember that the first Christmas celebrations (those being made by Christians for centuries IV to XII) did not include the placement of birth, for it was not until the year 1223 that St. Francis of Assisi, founder of the Franciscan order, starts the tradition that continues until today. In Mexico, since the mid-sixteenth century, in the town of Tlajomulco , Jalisco,Christmas representation is performed live . It appreciated the Virgin Mary, Joseph, the baby Jesus, the ox and mule classical as well as a choir of angels, shepherds, Herod and the Three Wise Men. All the characters were placed under a dense grove and cooed with indigenous, including Bible verses related to the Nativity, in the form of sweet carols. Thus, the Mexican tradition began exactly like Italian: with vivid characters having as teachers the same Franciscan friars.
Nativity found various manifestations of art, since the sixteenth century New Spain painters were dedicated to the theme of the Nativity. Proof of this are the series of paintings that are preserved in the Museum of San Carlos Mexico City and two master pieces that we can still admire one in the convent of San Miguel Archangel , in Huexotzingo ( Puebla) , and the other decorates the walls of the church of San Bernardino of Siena in Xochimilco ( Mexico City ) . During the nineteenth century exquisite wax figures were created in Michoacan and Guanajuato; but if money allowed more sumptuous pieces were created with silver and gold. Today clay figures are more common for Native Scenes. The tradition states that the Native Scenes should be placed at the beginning of the first “Posada”. Immediately all the above characters, minus the baby Jesus, who, as noted be incorporated on December 24 at midnight.
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