The installation raised next to the Christmas tree that adorns Brussels’ Grand-Place this year, titled “Fabrics of the Nativity,” has drawn criticism. While it includes the traditional figures of Mary, Joseph, and baby Jesus, it replaces classic sacred imagery with life-size dolls dressed in recycled textiles. The figures have no faces, only patchwork patterns in beige and brown. According to organizers, this was meant to create “an inclusive mix of skin tones.” Critics argue it strips the nativity of its spiritual meaning and turns it into a political statement.
City officials say the old nativity scene was too damaged to keep. Mayor Philippe Close (PS) insisted Brussels would not follow other cities that removed their nativity displays, but admitted jokingly that as a secular mayor he didn’t want to handle the issue alone. The project was reviewed and approved by St. Michael and St. Gudula Cathedral—a decision that has raised eyebrows among those who expected a more traditional design.
After a call for proposals, artist Victoria-Maria was chosen to redesign the nativity. She then commissioned Atelier By Souveraine from Forest to produce the figures. On Wednesday, November 26th, Pascale Leblanc and her daughter Alayin set up the dolls on the Grand-Place.
For them, it was an “exceptional project,” though many locals question whether such an experimental artistic approach is appropriate for a religious symbol at the heart of the city’s Christmas celebrations.
The transparent canopy housing the display is inspired by the Laeken greenhouses, and its curtains will be drawn during bad weather and at night. Final adjustments to the floor and lighting are still pending.
The city has committed to keeping this new nativity scene for five years, meaning the controversial installation will remain in place until at least 2029. “The goal is for this nativity scene to last,” Brussels Major Events confirmed—a decision that is likely to fuel further debate.
For many, the controversy touches something deeper than aesthetics.
“I grew up with warm, familiar nativity scenes and all the Christian traditions that shaped this country. What’s happening now is absurd: a small, self-appointed progressive elite is dismantling our own culture in the name of a hollow idea of ‘inclusion.’ No minority demanded this. No one is offended by a nativity scene. It’s always the same secular cultural engineers trying to impose their ideological emptiness on everyone else. This isn’t progress—it’s a cultural breakdown nobody ever voted for,” wrote Belgian columnist Fouad Gandoul on X.
