In Brecon As It Was In Bethlehem: A Very Welsh Nativity
On Christmas Eve, James Bessant Davies joined a thousand-strong crowd in the shadow of the Bannau Brycheiniog
By James Bessant Davies
For many across the world, Christmas has been disfigured by grief and sadness. In Ukraine, Christmas was officially celebrated on December 25, a symbolic move away from Russian Orthodox celebrations on January 7. Russia responded with missile strikes. In the Holy Land, the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas has displaced millions, and over 20,000 Palestinians have been killed. The West Bank town of Bethlehem, Jesus’ birthplace, stood empty for the first time in centuries. Gone were the crowded Christmas services and vibrant celebrations.
In Wales, Christmas was distanced from these atrocities. For most of those celebrating it was a time to come together with friends and family, to re-enact household traditions, and lighten the darkness of winter. But Christmas for many has also been a stressful time, set against economic crisis. The prices of everyday commodities, groceries, energy and fuel continue to rise. Foodbank use has increased. Many people feel disenfranchised, and alienated from their local communities. Rather than a joyous celebration, Christmas has become an economic burden.
As a reaction to this environment, Brecon’s Big Christmas 2023 was proposed by Brecon and Epynt Ministry Area, a free event to hearten and enliven, a means by which to move away from a commercial Christmas. It would bring communities together through children’s events, and a living nativity.
Christmas 2023 marked 800 years since St. Francis of Assisi instituted the first living nativity in Greccio, a small cliffside village in the Italian region of Umbria. Through a visual depiction of the Christmas story, St. Francis hoped to retell the story in a completely new and accessible way. In the eight centuries since, much has changed. Unlike in 1223, the Wales we live in today is a largely secular society. The Church in Wales has been unable to respond to this accelerated shift, seemingly failing to connect with people in their everyday lives.
And yet. Through many conversations, local groups came together to bring Brecon’s living nativity into being. Brecon County Show provided barriers to create an ad-hoc pen for camel petting. Fathom Trust and the Crafters organised willow and lantern workshops. The Muse organised nativity costumes. Jacob’s Sheep Trekking supplied the sheep. Coleridge Cymru provided facilitation for the event. The list goes on.
Conversations were mostly convened by Revd. Anna Bessant, curate of the Brecon and Epynt Ministry Area: ‘I have dreamt of doing a live nativity in this place. From the start, I knew we had to get camels. The rest would follow. In November I was helping at ‘Brecon with Bells On’, cheering people in the queue for Father Christmas with chocolates. One woman, anxiously rooting in her purse, asked me what the cost was. When I told her that it was free, she was so relieved. Then we started chatting. She lives on the Uplands Estate, and her young grandchildren live with her. When I told her about the living nativity and our hope to be able to bring camels there, she was amazed… close to tears. Now we have something to look forward to.’
At midday on Christmas Eve, Brecon townsfolk started to gather on Uplands Field, where mugs of hot chocolate awaited around a blazing firepit. Overlooking Bannau Brycheiniog’s central massif, the Uplands Estate is built on the lower slopes that rise to form Pen y Crug, whose summit hillfort once guarded the region from Celtic raiders. Now, the area surrounding Uplands is collectively known as St John’s ward. Its idyllic setting is deceptive; according to the Welsh Index of Multiple Deprivation, the area is among the country’s most deprived 20-30%.
Here, tents hosted craft workshops, including willow weaving and costume activities, preparing children for the forthcoming procession. Staunch carollers sung from around the fire, their voices in competition with a heavy wind. Despite doubts about the age and temperament of the donkey, it arrived at the stable first, as is tradition. Shortly afterward, a group of young Angels appeared, having just declared the good news to the shepherds and their sheep.
A lean-to shed in the corner of the field bore the message NO ROOM on a large white banner, a familiar sentiment resonant in this time of official hostility toward those seeking sanctuary. Inside, Mary and Joseph were just visible. Then suddenly, three magnificent camels appeared, adorned with patchwork crimson mahawi (saddles), accompanied by Kings and Queens.
Revd. Emma Franks of Kensington Baptist Church worked alongside Anna Bessant in bringing the event to fruition. ‘It’s important to remember that the Christmas story takes place outside,’ she says. ‘In fields, on roads, in busy hotels, on pavements, in rough shelters – and not inside churches! It’s so exciting to be painting the story big with people across Brecon. We hope it will be memorable and bring joy this Christmas.’
Once all parties had gathered around the stable, fortification arrived in the form of hearty soup from Catsoup Kitchen, made with vegetables donated by local growers. A thousand bars of chocolate were handed out, gifted in part by the Meaningful Chocolate Company. With physical and mental strength sufficiently replenished, the procession formed, ready to make its way through the streets of Brecon to St. Mary’s Church.
‘We hope this to be as far from a liturgical procession as possible,’ said Revd. Bessant before the march. ‘We will be a ragtag group of Kings and Queens, Princesses and Princes, Sheep and Shepherds, Outcasts, Refugees, the Wise and Powerful, and, of course, three real camels.’
Moving from Uplands down Coryton Close, jubilant rhythms from the Small Town Samba Band opened windows, and lines of faces peered out, gazing in disbelief at the camels and livestock outside their doors. Many joined us, and the march grew in size and volume as we headed along Maendu Terrace towards the Castle Hotel. Here, the Samba Band begrudgingly gave way to the Brecon Town Band, who led the crowd with festive arrangements of Christmas tunes.
Carnivalesque, the march continued, crossing Castle Bridge over the Honddu toward High Street. The camels ambled through Brecon’s centre, contrasting modernity with times of old. Bystanders and last-minute shoppers joined the procession, pushing our number to well over a thousand, filling the High Street in both length and breadth. One wonders what St. Francis might have thought about camels and kings passing the likes of Peacocks, Costa, and Bargain Booze.
The procession came to a halt outside St. Mary’s Church, where everyone was invited in for a family carol service. It was evident from the beginning that there would not be enough seats, and soon not only sitting but standing space became a commodity.
In the centre aisle sat Mary and Joseph, played by Laura Fasan and Rodgers Moses. Mary cradled baby Jesus, a well-behaved newborn named Aria, ‘on loan’ for the occasion. As the piano played the introduction to ‘Away in a Manger’, and the smell of warm mulled wine filtered from the rear of the church, it was just possible to hear the bleating of the waiting sheep outside.
When a small girl was asked what her favourite part of the day was, her answer was not seeing the camels or participating in craft workshops. Rather, she replied: ‘When the real Mary said Happy Christmas to me.’
Brecon’s Big Christmas 2023 managed to unite the communities of Brecon in an unprecedented way, creating an event that children and adults alike will remember for life. It served as a reminder of the story behind Christmas, testament that the church still has the ability to bring people together in a secular society and a broken world. Such outward looking, embracing ministry brings hope for the future of the Church in Wales, reminiscent of Jesus’ own mission – less religious and more social – connecting, enabling, and embracing people without agenda.
James Bessant Davies is a photojournalist and filmmaker from Mid Wales. Over the past year he has worked with organisations in Afghanistan, Ukraine and Moldova, as well as Bannau Brycheiniog National Park in Wales.
A wonderful account of a truly magical experience that will live long in the memories of everyone who was there.. thanks Anna, Richard and Emma and all others who made this possible. Thanks James for writing about it so well
Excellent article about a lovely event that made Christmas more real and wonderful for all. Thanks James, Anna, Emma and all.