Ma. CJ Plumentera 
“Belén’s presence makes this Christmas truly special.”
Belen is a beautiful and striking gender-neutral name of Filipino and Spanish origins. It means “Bethlehem” or “house of bread” — the literal Hebrew translation of the iconic city where baby Jesus was said to be born. It includes the Holy Family — Joseph, Mary, and the infant Jesus.
Kneeling beside the baby Jesus were two angels accompanied by a huge angel in the center. At the right side of the cave were the statues of three shepherds while the three magis or kings were found on the opposite side.
“Christmas is the center of our lives in the sense that God became one with us that is why the Belen is the symbol of Christ becoming one with us,”
said Fr. Frank Toben of Our Mother of Perpetual Help Parish (Redemptorist Church).
Belen should not be forgotten, because no matter what happens, we should be the ones to understand why we celebrate Christmas by making Belen every Christmas time. It was incredible that God chose to be incarnated in the humblest of ways. It is a message that should not be lost on us as we celebrate Christmas.
The belen in our homes, offices, and buildings hopefully may serve as a visible reminder of the night that our Savior was born.
