DIRECTION: BETHLEHEM
ARTUR STELMASIAK
A procession of Three Kings gains popularity in our streets. Last year, over 600 thousand people in 180 cities arrived in Bethlehem. What are we going to face up on 6 January 2015?
Everything points to the fact that the 7th Procession of Three Kings will be organized in over 320 cities in Poland and abroad. – A lot depends on the weather but we can expect that there are going to be over a million people – Anna Śmigielska from the Press Office of the Procession of Three Kings says to ‘Niedziela’.
Street nativity play is a real phenomenon. It turns out that people like performances, which are Christian. – I always say that the main Director is in Heaven. We only have to realize what He asked us to do as best as possible. First of all, we cannot spoil it – says Maciej Marchewicz, the chairman of the Foundation ‘Procession of Three Kings’, which coordinates street nativity plays.
When one looks at the procession statistics from the recent years, one can see that the procession army and number of procession cities is rising by nearly 100 percent every year. In 2012 there were 24 processions, in 2013 – 92, last year – about 180, and now Three Kings are going to go out into streets of 323 cities. Among them there are, among the others, Goerlitz in Germany, Bukareszt in Romania, Chicago in the United States and Nikołajew in Ukraine.
Last year I was impressed by the attendance of participants in Warsaw. The Bethlehem in the capital city was attended by over 100 thousand people, and 2 million people watched the procession on TV – says Anna Śmigielska.
Last year I was impressed by the attendance of participants in Warsaw. The Bethlehem in the capital city was attended by over 100 thousand people, and 2 million people watched the procession on TV – says Anna Śmigielska.
In family joy will not disappear
Although the Procession of Three Kings is a native celebration of Lord’s Revelation, this time, it is going to be more native. Mainly families with their little children are invited to participate in the Street Nativity Play.
‘Peace, joy, family’ – just these three words are going to be the main axis of narration of this year’s Procession. Traditionally, there is going to be a fight between the good and the evil. Devils are going to tempt spouses to a quarrel, disharmony and divorces. – There is going to be a lot of anger, life without joy! – devils from the so-called republic of pleasures are going to shout. Brave soldiers from the kings’ processions will not be tempted by devils. They already have 7-year-old experience in the fight with the evil. – May joy last in our family! I proclaim the end to quarrels! – little knights will say.
The Procession of Three Kings is a great evangelization success. Today’s task is to take care of the day of 6 January, so that it would have the Christian character. European experiences show that there were many Christian cultural initiatives which have nothing in common with religious dimension today. The Day of Three Kings may also become the victim of weekend trips, skiing picnics and a rich television offer.
We want to show that what is the most important is the joyful commemoration of what happened in Bethlehem 2000 years ago. It depends on us what custom of celebrating the Day of Three Kings we will pass to our children – says Maciej Marchewicz.
Civil activity
The idea of the Procession of Three Kings appeared in the environment connected with Warsaw Catholic schools of the Association ‘Helmsman’. – The idea of going out into streets appeared at the same time as the initiative of bringing back the Day of Three Kings as a day-off. So, one of purposes of Street Nativity Play was ‘freeing’ the feast of Lord’s Revelation from work – explains Maciej Marchewicz.
The procession boom started when the Seym of the Polish Republic decided that the feast of Three Kings would be a day-off. Since then, there have appeared self-governments, organizations and communities which want to organize the Nativity Play in their cities. The procession changed into one of the most important social-cultural events in Poland, with such clear Christian and community message.
- Its beginnings were in a small school, and now we have 300 cities in Poland and a few cities abroad. Million people in front of TV and in streets – says Anna Śmigielska.
The Procession has not only religious dimension. Its organization is an occasion to rebuild relations in societies. It joins common engagement of associations, schools, culture centres and parishes. Foundation ‘Procession of Three Kings’ organizes educational programs and contests making families, communities and inhabitants active.
- After seven years one can see civil effects – says Piotr Wysocki, a press spokesman of the Procession. – In order to organize it, we need people who want to devote their time and money. For many people it is the first civil engagement.
AA
„Niedziela” 1/2015