An exhibition of nativity scenes from the small town of Lagoa in the Azores archipelago will be displayed at the São José convent in the Algarve’s Lagoa between November 30 and January 6.
The two towns not only share the same name but have been twin towns since 2008.
To celebrate their connection, they agreed to bring this unique collection of traditional nativity scenes to the Algarve.
Nativity scenes in the Azores are iconic for being built inside glass domes. They are smaller than normal nativity scenes and can also depict other Biblical scenes apart from the birth of Jesus Christ.
They started being made in convents in São Miguel in the 17th century but eventually became a form of popular art in the Azores.
With the opening of Lagoa’s (Azores) first ceramics factories in 1862, some of their employees started specialising in the making of nativity scene figurines, a talent which has become a source of local pride.
The exhibition will be on display at the São José convent’s Sala da Roda dos Expostos.
