The sixth edition of Bethlehem f’Ghajnsielem was officially inaugurated on Saturday evening by HE Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca, President of Malta.Following weeks of hard work by the many volunteers who worked on this very popular Nativity Village, this special event. that marks the start of Christmas in Gozo, was welcomed by large crowds of people.The opening ceremony, which was broadcast live TVM2, started with a musical concert by the St Joseph Band in front of the main entrance and followed by a pageantry entrance by the actors who will be animating the Nativity Village.The pageant seeks to replicate, in a live manner, the atmosphere and environs of Bethlehem at the time when Jesus Christ was born over 2000 years ago.

Fr Joe Cardona blessed the commencement of the four-week-long event as the President together with the Minister for Gozo Dr Anton Refalo, Parliamentary Secretary Stefan Buontempo for Local Councils, Mayor Francis Cauchi, Project manager Franco Ciangura and Christmas in Gozo Chairman Joe Mifsud.

President Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca said that she was very impressed with what ‘Bethlehem f’Ghajnsielem’ has to offer and augured that this village will be a place of unity for all the families during this festive period.

The main attractions in the Nativity Village include a carpenter’s shop, the blacksmith, the baker, the tavern and vegetable market, weaver, the craft market, and fields with the shepherds and animals, to name but a few.

Fort Chambray, for the first time will feature prominently in the Nativity Village story, and will be turned into a Roman fortress with soldiers and horses etc. Visitors will also have the opportunity embark on small river crossing using a traditional Maltese boat, this attraction will be inaugurated next week.

There will also be an interactive smartphone application narrating the Nativity story while the visitors walk around the sites of the village.

Last year Bethlehem f’Ghajnsielem Nativity Village, achieved the National Record for the largest live crib.

Mata Records officials had measured the land area and the number of actors, which resulted in 20 acres of land and 201 actors, thereby winning the record. More than 20,000 thousand people including children, had visited the attraction during its first week of opening last year.

The Opening hours for the animation are as follows:

DECEMBER 2014

Sunday 7th 2.30pm – 7.30pm

Monday 8th 2.30pm – 7.30pm

Saturday 13th 4.30pm – 8.30pm

Sunday 14th 2.30pm – 7.30pm

Wednesday 17th* 9.30am – 1.30pm*

Thursday 18th* 9.30am – 1.30pm*

Saturday 20th 4.30pm – 8.30pm

Sunday 21st 2.30pm – 7.30pm

Thursday 25th 3.30pm – 8.00pm

Friday 26th 4.30pm – 7.30pm

Saturday 27th 4.30pm – 8.30pm

Sunday 28th 2.30pm – 7.30pm

JANUARY 2015

Thursday 1st 3. 00pm – 8.00pm

Saturday 3rd 4.30pm – 8.00pm

Sunday 4th** 2.00pm – 8.00pm**

*Animated by the Ghajnsielem Primary School students for the school children

** Adoration of the Magi

The event will close with the traditional Adoration of the Magi on Sunday, the 4th of January 2015.

Photographs: MGOZ/George Scerri

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