We all are costumed associating any crib scene, the decorated home, the snow and the gifts with the “Nativity scene” at Christmas time. The term crib, as the Latin etymology of the name is telling, means crib, manger. Nevertheless, not everyone is aware that there is an additional kind of such representation as well: “the crib scene of the Passion”.
A crib at Easter? Why naming this as a crib?
In truth, both crib scenes have simply the same goal in common: the wish to tell visually any people, to the less and the wisest ones, the events related to the life of Jesus. The Easter crib scene is an ancient and quite interesting history dated back to the 18th century, but almost forgotten in further times. The wood sculptors, especially from Val Gardena, aimed to resume this representation by reviving any scenes related to Holy Week and other episodes after the Resurrection.
THE SCENES
It’s a true art enabling to recap the composition of the various scenes in this unified Passion crib; In general, these starts showing Palm Sunday with the entry into Jerusalem and, essential, the crucifixion cannot be missing. According to certain habits, the Passion crib scene should be built according to the events, thus telling the same sequence of the acts. Every artist composes his crib with those scenes whose motivation and importance he’s feeling the most. Sonia had chosen to focus her attention on two key moments of Holy Week: the Flagellation and the Crucifixion.
Christ the Redeemer – nativity scene
THE CHARACTERS
The main character is Jesus, he appears several times in the different acts of the stories told through the crib scene. The Roman soldiers who co-represent the scenes of the flagellation and crucifixion of Jesus, and the thieves. The women are included as well, Holy Mary, Mary of Cleopas and Mary of Magdala, and the Apostle John, representing the disciples and all other persons under the cross. In certain representations of the Passion you may find additional characters of the events related to the Gospels: Pontius Pilate, Judas, Simon of Cyrene and any crowd that came over to assist to the crucifixion.
