From America to Asia, a world of nativity scenes to discover at the Capuchos Convent

From November 28th to January 6th, the Capuchos Convent in Sintra will exhibit pieces made from plants and trees from various regions of the globe and promote workshops on building nativity scenes with natural elements, the proceeds of which will support the reforestation of the Serra.

The Capuchos Convent in Sintra celebrates this Christmas with an exhibition that exalts nature, biodiversity and spirituality, in a true journey around the world. From November 28th to January 6th, Parques de Sintra presents at the monument a collection of fifty nativity scenes made from plants and trees from various regions of the globe, at the invitation of Professor Luís Mendonça de Carvalho, holder of the UNESCO Chair in Ethnobotany at the Polytechnic Institute of Beja. “Between the Stones and the Moss, the Nativity Scene of Francis” also includes a parallel activity that invites families to embrace the Christmas spirit and build a sustainable nativity scene, while contributing to the reforestation of the Sintra Mountains.

Due to its unique construction, which embraces the elements of the mountains, and the way of life of the Franciscan friars who inhabited it for over 300 years, in harmony with nature, the Capuchos Convent breathes sustainability, as does the exhibition “Between the Stones and the Moss, the Nativity Scene of Francis”. Each object, moulded with fibres, seeds, fruits or woods, evokes the humility that inspired the lives of the friars. Woods from Italy and the United States, coconuts from Cambodia, cork and willow from Portugal, ebony from Togo and Ghana, mahogany from Kenya, vegetable ivory from Ecuador, beech from Ireland or olive from Israel, reflect the tradition of the peoples who worked these pieces.

The connection between the Nativity scene and the Capuchos Convent is also revealed through the founder of the religious order that inhabited this convent, Saint Francis of Assis, responsible for the first staging of a Nativity scene 800 years ago, which consisted of a live representation of the birth of Jesus and the moment when he was presented to the shepherds and the Three Wise Men.

More than an ethnobotanical display, this exhibition, perfectly integrated into the serene spirituality of the relict forest, is an aesthetic and contemplative experience, as well as a celebration of biodiversity and multiculturalism. A visit to the convent thus becomes a journey through the landscapes of the world and the multiple forms of relationship between the sacred, the natural, and human creation.

“Between the Stones and the Moss, the Nativity Scene of Francis” will be on display at the Casa das Hortas of the Capuchos Convent. To access the exhibition, simply purchase a ticket to the monument, which is free for residents of the national territory on Sundays and holidays.

Mais do que uma mostra etnobotânica, esta exposição perfeitamente integrada na serena espiritualidade da mata relíquia, é uma experiência estética e contemplativa, bem como uma celebração da biodiversidade e da multiculturalidade. A visita ao convento transforma-se, assim, numa viagem pelas paisagens do mundo e pelas múltiplas formas de relação entre o sagrado, o natural e a obra humana.

Exhibition Inspires Sustainable Nativity Scene Construction Workshops

Taking inspiration from the exhibition “Between the Stones and the Moss, the Nativity Scene of Francis,” Parques de Sintra is promoting guided tours of the Capuchos Convent on December 1st, 6th, 8th, and 13th at 10:30 am, combined with workshops on building nativity scenes using natural elements. The proceeds from these workshops will have a very special purpose: they will be used in the reforestation efforts of the Sintra Mountains, following the devastation caused by Storm Martinho in March of this year.

In this activity, particularly aimed at families with children over 5 years old, participants will learn about the history of the convent and the way of life of the Franciscan community that inhabited it for almost three centuries. Then, during a short walk around the convent grounds—which house centuries-old native trees and a great diversity of plants that the friars protected and used for their food and health—they will be challenged to collect natural elements to make their own nativity scene, around which they will celebrate Christmas at home.

Tickets for this activity, lasting approximately two hours, are sold exclusively online on the Parques de Sintra website and cost €5 per person.

Complete information and ticket sales: https://www.parquesdesintra.pt/pt/programacao/exposicao-entre-as-pedras-e-o-musgo-o-presepio-de-francisco/

All information about Parques de Sintra can be found at www.parquesdesintra.pt.

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