Mary and Joseph went into exile. Of course they took the baby Jesus, including crib. Also the ox and the donkey, the shepherds in the fields, as well as the Three kings, plus entourage had to undergo a change of location from St. Leonhard in the Dom. More precisely: The Neapolitan Nativity scene from the St. Leonhard’s Church is now established in the cloister of St. Bartholomew, where the Cathedral Museum has to be at home. Because of the eternal construction site of St. Leonhard will continue to be redeveloped, in the seventh year, in the meantime. There’s no place for Bethlehem can be found, unfortunately.
Joe rubbed seeds
editor in the Rhein-Main-Zeitung.
F. A. Z.
a Pity, that Goethe has not seen the Neapolitan Nativity scene with about 40 figures. On his journey to Italy, the Poet of Naples, had been shown to be extremely fond of the local nurseries-a hobby. On the roofs of the hut would be built like scaffolds, and using evergreen trees and shrubs decorates, he reported in his “Italian journey”. The mother of God, the child and all the bystanders and Umschwebe, precious, frilly, filled the Scenery.
humans, angels, and sheep
The Nativity of St. Leonhard has no farm houses, streams, bridges, waterfalls, or mountains, as they were in their counterparts in Naples, the usual and still are. After all, the main characters of the Christmas story, get a stage, but a stage box. On the walls you can imagine a southern landscape with poplar trees, the sea and an old bridge. On the stage floor pillar relics of a Palace and an ancient temple form the single architectural elements.
In the heart of humans, angels, and sheep. A Angelus hovering over the Scene, which is reminiscent of market and South street. People wear beautifully modeled heads, gesturing expressive and show off elaborate costumes. You can chase them tired of the Neapolitan, in whose centre the Holy family. However, while in Naples, the Nativity scenes during the Christmas cycle of change, in the Cathedral Museum from the beginning, the whole Personage is to be used – including the child Jesus, placed in Naples, in the Holy night in the manger.
flesh and blood, dust and Dirt
A crib from Naples to reach the people, therefore she is popular. You should not turn up their noses, warned at the opening because the city-Dean Johannes zu Eltz. Who looks always very high, it’s gonna be the sky is empty. A Nativity scene, father Christophorus Goedereis mused, in turn, from the Capuchin convent-loving women, wants to bring to expression that God have no need of a sacred space, to come into this world. The biblical message was that God is man in flesh and blood. In dust and Dirt. In the midst of everyday life. The wonderful Neapolitan Nativity scene from the St. Leonhard extrapolating on this idea, so to speak.
of Course, prepared for the Director of the Cathedral Museum, Bettina Schmitt, also those that look a little higher, namely up to the art, to painting, is also a feast for the eyes. You, as a contrast to the manger, and the painting “The adoration of the Magi” from the former three king altar from the Frankfurt Cathedral. The Altar had been donated in 1619 from the pen canons Valentin light, held in the reformed Frankfurt as one of the few the Catholic Flag.
