Bogotá, Colombia, has once again captured attention with a unique cultural and religious initiative. In December 2025, the Colombian capital unveiled its first Nativity scene carved entirely from ice, a project that blends art and faith with an unusual sensory experience in a city where winter-like temperatures are rarely felt.
The San Cayetano parish in Bogota inaugurated the unique experience through ‘From Miracle to Ice’, an initiative that presents the city’s first nativity scene carved entirely in ice, with life-size human figures.
With the support of the company Hielo Iglu and seeks to transform the traditional Christmas experience through the purity of water turned into art, bringing an unprecedented artistic and spiritual experience to the region.
The video shows the birth of Jesus carved in ice, as well as a garden with church-related figures, which are part of the route visitors can take.
The initiative is led by Fr Arnoby Alvarez, parish priest of San Cayetano, who emphasised the relevance of the proposal for Latin America.
He said that, “It is the first time in Colombia, and I will dare to say in Latin America, that we are facing a work of art, a nativity scene, a work dedicated to Christmas with Christmas images, with nativity images at full life-size scale in Bogota, in Colombia and for Latin America.”
The parish priest indicated that for the work to remain in good condition it must be kept at -14 or -15 degrees Celsius and explained that special ice had to be brought from Medellin to produce it.
He explained that the sculptures were carved from translucent ice specially produced for the project. The ice, totaling about 15 tons, was manufactured in Medellín and transported to the site so that each figure could be carved. He added that the carving process took approximately a month, slightly more than a month, to complete.
The parish priest added that the goal of the project is to offer visitors “an experience with the environment” and noted that the initiative has received a positive response, with a daily attendance of between 250 and 300 people.
Visitors can access the route with a contribution of 20,000 Colombian pesos (approximately 5.25 US dollars), a symbolic donation that will be given to the San Cayetano parish.