Characters in Cenakulo

Jesus
Mary
Jose
Gabriel (Angel)
Melchior
Caspar | Gaspar
Balthazar
Judas
Peter
The Birth of Jesus Christ [ First Scene ]

Almost 2,000 years ago a young woman from the town of Nazareth named
Mary was visited by an angel named Gabriel. Gabriel told the Jewish
woman that she would have a son named Jesus and that he would be the
Son of God. At this time, Mary was engaged to her soon-to-be husband
Joseph. When told Joseph he was hurt and confused because he did not
believe Mary. The angel Gabriel visited Joseph and told him that Mary
would be pregnant from the Lord and that she would have a son named
Jesus who would save the people from their sins. 
Mary and Joseph had to travel to Bethlehem because of an order from the
Roman emperor that a census, or record, of all people, be taken in their
hometown. After traveling pregnant on a donkey for several days, Mary and
Joseph arrived in Bethlehem and were told that there were no places to
stay. The inns were full. Seeing that Mary was due at any moment, an
owner of an inn told Joseph that they could stay in his stable. 
Mary and Joseph settled down on the hay in a stable with animals sleeping.
Mary went into labor and Jesus was born in the stable. The only place for
the sleeping baby to rest was most likely in the animals' trough, known as
the manger. 
During this time, an angel appeared to shepherds who were watching their
flocks in the fields near Bethlehem. The angel told them the good news of
the birth of the Savior and Messiah, Jesus Christ. The shepherds
immediately went to find baby Jesus, which the angels told them they
would find sleeping in the manger.
The three wise men named Melchior, Caspar, and Baltazar were scholars
from Persia, they would have been familiar with Daniel's prophecy about
the Messiah or "Anointed One." They were following the path of a star
across the desert for twelve days. Searching the Baby Jesus or the Messiah.
They travelled by horse, camel, and elephant to present the newborn baby
Jesus with three symbolic gifts: gold, because Jesus was royalty as ”King
of the Jews;” frankincense, which represented the baby’s holy nature as the
Son of God; and myrrh to signify Jesus ‘ mortality.
Jesus Prays in Gethsemane

Betrayal and Arrest of Jesus

[ Second scene ]

Jesus went with his discples to a place called the garden of Gethsemane , and
he said to his them, “Sit here, while I go over there and pray. “And taking with
him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, he began to be sorrowful and
troubled. Then he said to them, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death; remain
here, and watch with me.” And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed,
saying, “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not
as I will, but as you will.” And he came to the disciples and found them sleeping.
And he said to Peter, “So, could you not watch with me one hour? Watch
and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but
the flesh is weak.” Again, for the second time, he went away and prayed, “My
Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, your will be done.” And again he came
and found them sleeping. And he said to Peter, “So, could you not watch with me
one hour? Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit
indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” Again, for the second time, he went away
and prayed, “My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, your will be
done.” And again he came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were
heavy. So, leaving them again, he went away and prayed for the third time,
saying the same words again. Then he came to the disciples and said to
them, “Sleep and take your rest later on.[b] See, the hour is at hand, and the Son
of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise, let us be going; see, my
betrayer is at hand.”

Judas, who had betrayed Jesus to Jewish religious leaders who hated him, came
with an armed group of men to the garden of Gethsemane. After he greeted
Christ with a kiss, (a signal meant to designate whom to take into custody) our
Savior was placed under arrest and taken to Jewish authorities for questioning
and what would become at least two trials.