'Hope Does Not Disappoint': Inside the Vatican's Incredible '100 Nativity Scenes' Exhibition
This year, the international exhibition, "100 Nativity Scenes in the Vatican," is being held again, showcasing works by artists from all over the world.
Most of the displayed works were inspired by the motto, "Hope does not disappoint," which is connected to the bull issued at the announcement of the 2025 Jubilee Year.
We toured the various Nativity scenes with Father Gabriele Scardocci, a Dominican priest.
In the colonnade of St. Peter’s Square, 125 works from Europe and different parts of the world are displayed. On December 8, the exhibition was opened in the presence of Monsignor Fisichella, some staff members from the Dicastery for Evangelization, and representatives from the city of Rome.
The exhibition, which is one of the venues for the "Culture of the Jubilee" exhibition, will be open until January 6, 2025.
Click here if you cannot see the video above. / Video credit: Anikó Schnider
The Nativity scenes come from various countries around the world, including France, San Marino, Croatia, Poland, Germany, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, the United States, Costa Rica, Venezuela, Brazil, Mali, Japan, the Philippines, Taiwan, and Paraguay.
Thus, the presence of Christ’s birth is presented diversely, based on the distinctive art of different cultures. This signifies the universality of the Catholic faith and that the Word wants to step into our present and our culture.
The Nativity scenes display the imagination and inspiration of the artists who created them while using a wide variety of materials, such as Japanese paper, silk, resin, polystyrene, wool, parts of coconut and banana, or even glass.
Additionally, among the Nativity scenes, you can also find creations made from fashion items (e.g., hats), as well as works made from recycled materials.
In the colonnade, Nativity scenes reflect the characteristics of various professions and crafts, such as those representing the fire department or the RAI Vaticano Nativity scenes.