The new woke Nativity scene presented this year in the medieval and iconic Grand Place of Brussels has caused intense reactions, as the traditional wooden structure was replaced by a fabric installation with faceless figures.

The contemporary creation, titled “The Fabrics of the Nativity” (Les Étoffes de la Nativité) and costing around €60,000(!), was designed by interior decorator Victoria-Maria Gayier and represents one of the most radical changes to this year’s Winter Wonders program.

The choice to present Mary, Joseph, the three Wise Men, and even Baby Jesus without faces lies at the heart of the controversy. The creator explains that it is a deliberate artistic statement: “an inclusive combination of all skin tones, so that everyone can see themselves reflected in these figures.”

However, for many visitors and social media users, the absence of facial features is seen as “excessive modernization” and a departure from the traditional Christmas image. On social media, the new scene has been labeled a “pseudo-nativity” and “ridiculous,” with many recalling past controversial city decisions regarding holiday installations.

According to the television channel RTBF, the figure of Baby Jesus was vandalized, with the perpetrator running away…with the head. City officials explained that the fabric ball that served as Jesus’ head was stolen, and they are proceeding with its replacement.

The controversy prompted Mayor Philippe Close and Benoît Lombé, the cathedral priest and member of the selection committee, to intervene publicly. Both insist that the Christian essence of the scene remains intact, noting that the previous structure had deteriorated and needed replacement. The city leadership and the church, they emphasize, jointly approved the work, aiming to present a more modern, less traditional version of the Nativity.

Despite the uproar, the new Nativity scene appears set to gain a permanent presence, as the creator’s original three-year contract has been extended so that the fabric installation will remain at Winter Wonders for eight years!