Until January 5, the Santo António convent has a special Christmas program, which includes the opening to the public of various nativity scenes and exhibitions, including the Traditional Nativity Scene by Emanuel Maré, which this year has an increase in the number of figures. On display to the public since December 2022, this year it has 274 more figures than last year, totaling 1074 dolls.
Emanuel Maré, responsible for the design and assembly, has included clay figures in the nativity scene made by various puppeteers from Lagos, such as Luís Gouveia, António Branquinho, António Bilhete, Arsénio Moniz, Carlos Pacheco, João Paiva, António Morais, Maria de Fátima Varão, José Mo- rais, João Arruda, António Amaral, Ângelo Vicente, Patrícia Rodrigues and the author himself, among others.

This nativity scene stands out not only for the materials used in its composition or its iconographic and artistic value but also for its ethnographic aspect in representing Azorean popular experiences and characteristics of the island’s landscape.
In addition to contemplating this exhibit, visitors can visit the two rooms that make up the Núcleo Museológico do Presépio, in the convent of Santo António, the puppeteer’s workshop, the Presépio das Histórias and two temporary exhibitions. These are “Interpretation of works of art history, by the artisan puppeteer João Arru- da” and “Reinterpreting the art of puppetry”, promoted by Tremor in partnership with the Museum of Lagoa – Azores). During Christmas, you can visit the temporary painting and photography exhibition “Silence Does not Die,” by Paulo Damião and Wanderson Alves.
All these exhibitions and nativity scenes can be visited on weekdays from 9.30am to 1pm and from 2pm to 5.30pm, and now, exceptionally, during the special Christmas program, on weekends from 4pm to 9pm, being closed on December 24th, 25th and 31st and January 1st.

In Atlântico Expresso-Natalino Vivieiros, director


Translated to English as a community outreach program from the Portuguese Beyond Borders Institute (PBBI) and the Modern and Classical Languages and Literatures Department (MCLL) as part of Bruma Publication and ADMA (Azores-Diaspora Media Alliance) at California State University, Fresno, PBBI thanks Luso Financial for sponsoring NOVIDADES.