There are different classes of pessebre. In Catalonia it is usually build with vegetal objects like moss, cork and mud figures. The scene is always the same, Jesus birth in a cowshed near the virgin Maria, Sant Josep, a mule and a cow. Jesus is over the place where the animals eat, "el pessebre" in Catalan. The Cristian tradition reserved this modest place to the rescuer of the world.
In the "pessebre" we found other standardized characters, the poor, the wise and the indifferent. The poor are the shepherds that always adore Jesus and give him some presents. The wise are the three magician kings who came from the far orient guided by a comet. The indiferent people are some characters that work in their usual activities without notice about the Jesus birth. A curious tradition in Catalonia is to represent a man defecating in a reserved place. This character is "el caganer" and is a perfect representative of the scatological catalan cultural tradition. Now you can see all famous people represented as mud figures in action to defecate, as for example the catalan president Carles Puigdemon or the US president Donall Trump.
It seems that IT was San Francisco de Asis who, in 1223, in Italy, invented WHAT in Catalonia is known as the living pessebre, that is, a representation of the birth of Jesucrist with real characters. Some years after, during the Council of Trent, the ecClesiasticAL/CHURCH authorities recommended that everybody maKe in his home a representation of [] Jesus'S birth just before Christmas Day. Now IT is an extended tradition in THE WHOLE Mediterranean area (specially in France, Italy and Spain) to build some days before Christmas a representation of [] Jesus'S birth in a preeminent place of the house, normally in the hall or in the dining room. In Catalonia, this representation is called "el pessebre".
ReplyDeleteThere are different classes of pessebre. In Catalonia it is usually builT with PLANT(1) objects like moss, cork and mud figures. The scene is always the same, Jesus'S birth in a cowshed near the virgin Maria, Sant Josep, a mule and a cow. Jesus is IN the place where the animals eat, "el pessebre" in Catalan. The CHristian tradition reserved this modest place to the rescuer of the world.
In the "pessebre" we fInd other standardized characters, the poor, the wise and the indifferent. The poor are the shepherds that always adore Jesus and give him some presents. The wise are the three magician kings who came from the far orient guided by a comet/STAR. The indifFerent people are some characters that work in their usual activities without notice about [] Jesus'S birth. A curious tradition in Catalonia is to represent a man defecating in a reserved place. This character is "el caganer" and is a perfect representative of the scatological(2) Catalan cultural tradition. Now you can see all famous people represented as mud figures in action to defecate, as for example the Catalan president Carles Puigdemon or the US president Donald Trump.
(1) We use the word "vegetable" only when talking about food.
(2) I didn't know this English word.
Well done, Albert. The tradition has extended to the US too, except for the defecating. I guess that won't be long in coming, given the political environment these days.
Thank you Matt for your always usefull comments. Good Christmas and a happy new year for everybody!!!
ReplyDeleteIn the Mexico frontier with the US, children expect to receive gifts from Santa Claus on December 25th and from the Three Magician Kings" on January 6th. Many families all over the country in Mexico follow the same tradition of the representation of the birth of Jesus known as "The birth"... But this is the first time that I hear about "el caganer" and I have just read that the figurine is a symbol of fertility and good fortune. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
ReplyDeleteI must say that, from my cultural perspective, it's very hard to imagine a figure of someone defecating anywhere near the Christmas nativity scene. Even the political messages that Albert mentions would be considered offensive by all sides.
ReplyDeleteI undestand. Respect is one of the most important values that we as human beings should practice; It is perhaps the highest feeling that we can feel to live in harmony with others. Respect is about consideration, compassion, appreciation and recognition towards someone or even something. Respect also means to value, tolerate differences and understand that these make us grow. There are many quotes about respect but now I would like to share this one, from Henri Frédéric Amiel, whom was a Swiss philosopher and poet “Goodness is the principle of tact, and respect for others is the first condition to know how to live.”
ReplyDelete* from Henri Frédéric Amiel, WHO was
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