Mini ‘belen,’ sleeping child Jesus collection featured in Manaoag church exhibit

A Nativity set made in the 1950s is part of the collection on exhibit at the Minor Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary of Manaoag in Pangasinan province. — WILLIE LOMIBAO

MANAOAG, PANGASINAN— An exhibit of miniature “belen” (scenes of the Nativity) and “niño dormido” (sleeping child Jesus) is attracting pilgrims to the Minor Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary of Manaoag museum here.

The church displays 50 images of the Holy Family borrowed from various collectors, with each image depicting different Biblical accounts from the Annunciation to the Holy Family’s flight to Egypt.

“This [exhibit] retells the greatest story ever told for people to appreciate—because of Jesus, we were saved,” said Miniriza Rivera, museum head.

One of the exhibits is a belen from Peru, mounted in a wooden box, which was originally owned by museum curator and production designer, Rei Nicolas.

Another belen on display is made of ivory from Portugal. A Nativity scene is also carved on a stone relic from the Nativity cave.

There is also an image showing a pregnant Virgin Mary as she and her husband, Joseph, looked for a place to stay.

“This exhibit was put up in memory of Nicolas, who had a lot of collections that he had given to friends and sold to collectors. To put up the exhibit in time for Christmas, we had to contact his friends to borrow the images,” Rivera said.

The oldest niño dormido exhibit is a 90-year-old heirloom image in a glass cage owned by Francisco Vecin.

The exhibit also features a black ñino dormido sculpted by Guillermo Nepomuceno in the 1940s, which has become part of the collections of costume designer Steve de Leon.

RELIGIOUS ART Figurines depict a pregnant Mary and husband Joseph, Jesus Christ’s parents, as they searched for a place to stay. Photo at right shows one of the images of the “Sto. Niño Dormido,” or the sleeping child Jesus. —PHOTOS BY WILLIE LOMIBAO

De Leon’s belen fabric artwork is also among the items being exhibited, as well as the work of renowned woodcarver Luisito Acac.

Rivera said the museum had been visited by droves of pilgrims since it opened on Dec. 16. The exhibit will end on Jan. 17.

The museum has an average of 22,000 visitors every week, she said, adding that the most number of pilgrims arrived on Sundays when Masses were held every hour from 5 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The church has become more accessible since the opening in June of the Binalonan exit of the Tarlac-Pangasinan-La Union Expressway (TPLEx). TPLEx has reduced travel time from Tarlac City to Manaoag from two hours to 45 minutes. —GABRIEL CARDINOZA