A modern nativity scene by German artist Victoria-Maria Geyer is causing heated debate in Brussels.
The work of art, which has been on display on the Grand-Place since the end of November, shows the Holy Family made entirely of fabric.
The heads of the figures are made of brown and beige patches of fabric and have no recognisable facial features.
Critics see this as a distortion of Christian traditions. The installation replaces an old wooden nativity scene from the city of Brussels, which had been damaged over time.
The artist, Victoria-Maria Geyer, told the Catholic News Agency (KNA) on Thursday: "The current debate has completely overwhelmed us."
The media storm is a political instrumentalisation.
"Our work was carried out in close cooperation with the city of Brussels and the archdiocese, in particular with Archbishop Luc Terlinden himself," said Geyer. It was an honour for her "to work for and with the Church".
Above all, feedback from the Christian community is extremely encouraging for her.
"If the nativity scene now becomes the centre of discussion in families, that is a great success from a Christian point of view."
Artist explains the project
In the KNA interview, Geyer explains her concept: it is a modern, poetic installation. She has arranged life-size figures made of fabric under a tent-like roof - colourfully dressed and deliberately without detailed faces.
"The underlying meaning is deeply spiritual: at different moments in our lives, we have all been a worried Joseph, a hopeful Mary or a child in search of compassion."
The neutral faces enable viewers to recognise themselves in the figures and make faith their own, the artist argues.
For Geyer, the universal message of love, hope and compassion takes centre stage.
At the same time, the textile design is reminiscent of Belgium's traditional textile art.
In the meantime, several thousand people have signed a petition against the nativity scene on the town hall square in Brussels. It was initiated by the conservative-liberal Mouvement Réformateur party.
Its leader, Georges-Louis Bouchez, wrote: "The nativity scene on the Grand-Place in Brussels is nonsense and an insult to our traditions. These faceless figures are more reminiscent of a homage to zombies, as can be found near Brussels' railway stations, than a nativity scene; and they in no way represent the spirit of Christmas."
Bouchez is calling for the artwork to be replaced immediately.
Mayor Philippe Close, on the other hand, called for more serenity; one must "shift down a gear". He emphasised that the depiction had previously been approved by church authorities.
City priest criticises politicians
In an interview with the portal "CathoBel" on Wednesday, the Brussels city priest Benoît Lobet, who is jointly responsible for the project, criticised Bouchez's statements: "When I hear Mr Bouchez saying that he sees something in the figures that resembles the zombies around the South Station, then he is doing us a service - because that is exactly what we wanted to show."
The cot is intended to remind people that around 9,000 people in the capital are sleeping on the streets - including children.
"Helping the vulnerable is a Christian value. Especially at this time."
Lobet also defended the artist: "I would like to emphasise that the interior designer Victoria-Maria is a practising Catholic Christian. She is a parishioner here in Brussels, goes to mass every Sunday and sends her children to catechism."
The clergyman praised the artistic idea of using used and recycled fabrics and combining them in a special way. This shows the vulnerability of the people in the cot.
"If there are no faces, the viewer is invited to experience the events of the nativity scene to a certain extent and to be present in it themselves," explained Lobet.
The situation came to a head at the weekend: the fabric head of the baby Jesus was stolen from the nativity scene.
The city then stepped up security measures around the work of art.
It is still uncertain what will happen to the controversial installation. One thing is certain, however: pre-Christmas contemplation looks different.