On the occasion of the 850 years of the cathedral Notre-Dame de Paris, a remarquable crib will be shown this year to two millions visitors and pilgrims from all over the world.
A huge animated christmas crib, of more than 25 meters square, created by Salvatore MILAZZO, famous master craftsman from the city of Caltagirone (Italy), with the artistic direction of Michele SAVATTERI, architect. It has taken place close to the north wall of the choir fence, under the scenes describing the childhood of the Christ, sculpted during the 14th century.
« I am the light of the world. »
John 8, 12
I wish the crib, as important, not only of our faith, but also of the culture and of the Christian art continues to be part of this great solemnity : it is a simple and eloquent way to Remember Jesus in becoming man, is “dwelt among us”, and with the crib, actually lives with us.
Pope Benedict XVI
17th of december 2008
The north sculpture realised in the 14th century represents scenes of the life of the Christ around Christmas :
Visitation
Nativity
Adoration of the Shepherds
Massacre of the Innocents
Flight into Egypt
Presentation in the Temple
It’s just below these sculpture that the crib takes place every year.
- Clôture du Chœur de la cathédrale.
- Partie Nord. XIVème siècle. La Visitation - L’Annonce aux Bergers - La Nativité - L’Adoration des Mages. © Boullay
The animated Sicilian crib
This crib, entirely based on clay, the work of master craftsmen Caltagirone, is the result of the technical mastery of the Sicilian craftsmanship and its evolution over several centuries. In addition to the cowshed of the Nativity, a set of decors reproduce according to Sicilian cribs tradition, scenes of rural life with fidelity. The animated characters are real pearls automation, movements and sounds are designed using the techniques developed in the nineteenth century.
All decorations are made of stone, reeds, wood, plaster, and reproduce the typical rural settlement in the region of Caltagirone in the eighteenth century. The addition of fountains, bridges, plants (turf, trees, lichens and various plants of the Mediterranean maquis), hills and light effects, can faithfully recreate the poetic landscapes of the Sicilian countryside.
Due to the fragility of the mechanisms of this crib, it will only be animated during nights (every Saturday and Sunday from 19:30 to 20:45, 8 December 2012 to 27 January 2013), and December 25, all day .
- Installation de la crèche animée par Salvatore Milazzo, Michele Savatteri et leurs assistants (Antonio Sagone et Mario Interlandi).
- © NDP
- Installation de la crèche animée par Salvatore Milazzo, Michele Savatteri et leurs assistants (Antonio Sagone et Mario Interlandi).
- © NDP
- Installation de la crèche animée par Salvatore Milazzo, Michele Savatteri et leurs assistants (Antonio Sagone et Mario Interlandi). Les moutons attendent patiemment leur entrée en scène...
- © NDP
- Installation de la crèche animée par Salvatore Milazzo, Michele Savatteri et leurs assistants (Antonio Sagone et Mario Interlandi).
- © NDP
Art and craftsmanship workshops Salvatore MILAZZO have been exposed in 1991 in Europe.
This accomplishment was made possible through the support of
Salvatore MILAZZO, master craftsman, and his team
Michele SAVATTERI, architect and artistic director
LAVS
the association Maurice de Sully.
- © NDP
- © NDP
- © NDP
Put your Message of Peace near the crib of Notre-Dame de Paris
Near the crib of the cathedral is located a large transparent ballot box. Pilgrims, visitors, believers or not, all men of good will from around the world, coming inside Notre Dame during this Christmas season are invited to register a Message of Peace and put it in this urn. This will fill throughout this Christmas season with more than 400 000 Messages of Peace enrolled in all languages. These messages are all prayer intentions and Peace who are prayed every evening during the final Mass at the Cathedral.
You can read your Message of Peace in the box below.
- © Bénédicte Sévenet
