Photo: Christmas Nativity scene of sand in the Vatican
On St. Peter’s square at the Vatican opened a huge sand sculpture depicting the biblical scene of the birth of Jesus Christ. In creating the sculpture was attended by the Russian Ilya Filimontsev.
On the pedestal you can see Joseph, Mary, angels, shepherds, animals, three wise men…
…and baby Jesus. The creation of sculpture with a height of 5.5 meters left 720 tons of sand.
The sand in the Vatican brought from the commune of Jesolo in Venice. For transportation it is mixed with water and compressed into dense blocks.
In December, the sculpture was blessed by the priests of the Vatican. Simultaneously with the ceremony was the lighting of the fires on the Vatican Christmas tree.
Sculptures sculptors worked rich Varano (right), Radovan Zivny (left) Suzanne Roesler and Ilya Filimontsev.
The sculpture will remain on the square until January 14, after which it will probably destroy.