The Għaqda Ħbieb tal-Presepju of Għajnsielem is currently preparing for its annual exhibitions being held between December 12 and January 7.

During the past months, society members have been meeting twice a week and now every day to finish a 2.4 metre x 2.4 metre crib to be displayed at Għajnsielem parish church.

Another crib (4m x 2.8m), by Paul Stellini, and an exhibition of dioramas and Nativity figurines will be displayed in the hall beneath the church.

Another exhibition of Italian dioramas by members of the Italian Crib Association – Ponte San Pietro section of Bergamo, led by Claudio Mattei, will be held at the St Joseph Institute hall in Għajnsielem.

The bond that exists between the two associations has grown stronger after Mattei was invited to visit Gozo in 2016 to deliver a course in crib construction.

The course was attended by 86 participants from Malta and Gozo.  In 2019, Mattei held the first personal exhibition of dioramas, bringing over 15 cribs done in the span of 50 years of his artistic career.

In 2022 an exhibition of Maltese cribs will be held in Bergamo. This will be the second overseas… in 2019 an exhibition was held in Nichelino, Turin.

More information about the association and its activities can be found on their Facebook page – www.facebook.com/ghaqdapresepjughajnsielem.