Every year, at the beginning of Advent, the children already know that Christmas is approaching, a time they like very much. And they start to ask: what are we going to perform this year? what am I going to participate in? what am I going to wear? and so on, and so on every Sunday. That’s why we rushed to organise the activities and rehearsals.

In the year 2022, we performed the living nativity scene through songs. Each Mother rehearsed a song with her group, according to the characters they were to represent. Several rehearsals were organised, as several children had to play soloists, such as the angel, St. Joseph, the Virgin Mary. They were all very enthusiastic and wanted to perform.

The beautiful day of Christmas Eve arrived. Everyone was on time. On these feast days, the participation of the faithful is much higher than usual, and thank God, the church is full. They admire the lights, the crib, the decorations and the church.

When the celebration was about to begin, there was a power cut, but this did not prevent the celebration from continuing. Some lamps were lit and this helped even more for the recollection and contemplation of the Mystery of the birth of the Child God, who was also born on a dark night in the Bethlehem portal. After the solemn celebration, the prepared performance took place.

It began with the singing of the Angel, who announced the birth of the Child Jesus. This was followed by the Virgin and St. Joseph. In their singing they expressed the immense joy of having the Child God in their arms. Then the choir of angels sang a song to the newborn Divine God. This choir was made up of the youngest children, who to everyone’s amazement sang with ease. Then the shepherds came in and sang the traditional Peruvian carol “Cholito Jesús”, which was very well received. At the end of the performance, three children came in dressed as the Three Wise Men, accompanied by the other children, dressed as Orientals, and sang a traditional Argentinian carol “Llegaron ya los Reyes”. This concluded the Christmas Eve performance.

To the children’s delight, we received an invitation to participate with a performance in the Christmas festivities, which were to be held in the Church of Charity in the city of Sancti Spíritus. The news was received by the children and their parents with great joy, as they like it very much. They went to take part in the performance.

Patmos Guasimal Convent, Cuba.

Mother Gertrudis MJVV