Bethlehem f’Għajnsielem needs no introduction. The life-nativity scene, which every year bursts with life a step away from Mġarr Harbour, has been the highlight of Gozo’s magical Christmas for several years and is a ‘must’ visit for anyone who travels to Gozo during the Christmas season.
One chilly November afternoon, VisitGozo caught up with Franco Ciangura, the man and mind behind Bethlehem f’Għajnsielem, at one of the empty squares at Bethlehem f’Għajnsielem. Mr Franco Ciangura is a man of many hats. Apart from being married to Therry and a father of two, Franco Ciangura is deputy mayor of the local council in Għajnsielem. He studied catering and passionately worked in the industry for 26 years. The extensive working times typical of the catering industry propelled him to move to another career, and today, he works at the European Services Agency.
Franco is a self-declared Christmas fan. With eyes brimming in excitement, he speaks quietly about the Christmas feast as the one uniting all together. As a community man, he was always involved in committees, voluntary organisations, and the parish in Għajnsielem. Upon mentioning the presepju or Christmas crib, Franco talks about his father and grandfather, who inspired his love for the traditional crib. As a young boy, he was very keen on creating cribs and became a legend after winning the Christmas village crib competition year after year. Franco smiles as he explains that it got to the point where the parish priest offered him to showcase his work and get a trophy without being part of the competition to give other participants a chance. The challenge and passion of building new cribs knows no bounds with Franco, and every year, he would come up with something new, such as when he worked on a circular crib that would be displayed in the middle of a room. When asked if Bethlehem f’Għajnsielem is ‘his’ crib and whether he still makes a crib at home, Franco chuckles and says that the staircase at home has a permanently installed crib as part of the railing. He worked on this endeavour in 2012 when Bethlehem f’Għajnsielem could not be organised, and he invested his energy and time into creating a crib that his family enjoys all year round.
Bethlehem f’Għajnsielem is held in an area known as Ta’ Passi, a location that is part of Franco’s childhood. As he looks around the space where the interview is taking place, he speaks fondly of the memories. He often visited the area with his aunt for walks and picnics, and she would try to tempt Franco, then a picky eater, to have some food. Franco was, however, more intent about the allure and charm of the place than the food. Even as an eight-year-old, Franco often took his pasturi to Ta’ Passi, playing in the meadow and among the rocks, imagining it all as the perfect crib setting. This is when the dream started rooting in Franco’s heart.
As the years rolled on, Franco was always involved in various organisations. In 2000, he came up with the idea of a live nativity scene in the village square. Back then, Franco and his wife were expecting a child, and Franco wanted to try out a live nativity on a miniature scale. He had already envisioned Bethlehem f’Għajnsielem as it stands now, but he wanted to try out something on a smaller scale. In 2000, the hut in the middle of the village square was small, but Franco complimented it with enough detail to make it life-like and appealing. He went to such lengths as having a running water stream along the hut and even planting grass in the square for a more authenticity. That year, the live nativity, which included only the Holy Family with Franco’s baby son Matteo as Jesus, some shepherds and animals, was a huge success. Franco created Santa’s House, Coffeeshop and a crib with statues the year after. With every Christmas attraction he organised, he recorded and studied the number of hours and the level of commitment needed from volunteers to help him in planning an attraction like Bethlehem f’Għajnsielem.
By 2008, he felt confident enough to stage Bethlehem f’Għajnsielem. This project could only happen with the support of the local council and government that, in those days, was happy to sustain more incoming travellers to Gozo during a low season. Bethlehem f’Għajnsielem opened in 2008 and became a catalyst to Christmas in Gozo. It uniquely represented the Nativity in Bethlehem fused with Gozitan traditions. The first edition was small compared to today’s but still included a market, the carpenter’s workshop, the bakery, the blacksmith, and the stable. Franco organised it such that all the Għajnsielem organisations that took part were in charge of one specific aspect of the nativity village. For example, the bakery was manned by the Għajnsielem band club, the tavern by Għaqda Armar Għajnsielem and the Franciscan community was in charge of the open market.
Visitors to Bethlehem f’Għajnsielem discover that the place is enchanting because it always offers a different scene. The vibe changes according to the time of day and the weather. Everybody enjoys the extended experience and appreciates that entering the gates is akin to stepping into another world. As you explore the market, walk through the fields, sit down to enjoy a glass of wine at the tavern or delight in some roasted chestnuts, the aura of the place engulfs you, and you become part of the scene mixing with shepherds, bakers, stall owners and farmers in traditional garb and costume. Ultimately, it’s about the birth of Jesus in a stable, and when you enter and gaze upon the baby lovingly held by the parents, it is difficult not to stop and ponder.
Putting up a show of this size involves immeasurable long hours, hard work and planning, and the project’s success implies certain burdens. Initially, Franco’s team set up and dismantled all the huts year after year, but today, they have permission to keep some structures standing. This eased the burden of extensive work on the team. For Franco, managing the attraction is a challenge he does not take lightly. Apart from depending solely on the commitment of volunteer manpower, Franco has also been handling the aspects related to risk assessment, safety, security, and crowd management and control. In the background, he is also cautious of the environmental impact and carefully plans new attractions. Some, such as the ride on the boat and the rope bridge, quickly become the talk of the town. There is no doubt that this man is a diligent planner, and he explains that many times, he would stand in the queue to hear the visitors’ comments firsthand. This has helped him understand how people live the experience and finetune the attraction. Franco explains that when he became mayor, he worked tirelessly to get a full permit and ownership of the land at Ta’ Passi for the Għajnsielem Local Council. Ultimately, the vision is to turn the area into a family park serving different purposes during the seasons. Franco’s childhood dream that turned into reality is today a complex one, and he confesses that he keeps a notebook by his bedside table to jot down all the ideas that come to mind.
When asked about his fondest memory of these past years, Franco says that the volunteers are catering for thousands of visitors, and there are many stories of people who have been touched. He has often met visitors who rediscovered Christmas joy and approached the team with tears streaming down their faces in gratitude. He speaks about a couple who came to him to thank him because, through Bethlehem f’Għajnsielem, they re-found the meaning of Christmas. The couple’s son had been seriously injured at Christmas time, and the parents had stopped celebrating the feast. They happened to be in Gozo with a group that visited Bethlehem f’Għajnsielem and reluctantly had no option but to join the stop at the nativity scene. They were so touched that now they visit every year.
However, for Franco, Bethlehem f’Għajnsielem is not about sentimentalism. The first babies that played the part of Jesus with their mother and father are now teenagers, and with every new cycle of parents that take part each year, he knows his team is also keeping the spirit of Christmas alive. Christmas is about giving, which is why the Three Kings of Bethlehem f’Għajnsielem, who travel from a foreign country every year, always make it a point to visit hospitals or homes for the elderly on their way. As Bethlehem F’Għajnsielem is in its 14th edition this year, Franco hopes to route the Three Kings pilgrimage to the stable through the prisons to share the Christmas spirit with the inmates.
As it gets darker in the square and volunteers start arriving to work on different aspects in preparation for this year’s opening, Franco’s final words is about how grateful he is for his crew of volunteers. He knows they all sacrifice a lot to set up this place ready to welcome the guests. As a true leader, he is always with the volunteers, cheering them on, working and discussing with them, deeply aware that Christmas is about giving.
Franco’s love of Christmas and the volunteers’ hard work and dedication have indeed gifted the island of Gozo with a star attraction, putting the small island on the Christmas map as a real beacon, allowing visitors from all over the world to experience and embrace the original nativity story.
VisitGozo would like to thank Mr Franco Ciangura for this interview and for sharing the photos.
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