03/01/2026
Sali na po!
🏔️ ASERET HADEVARIM
At the Foot of Horeb
Group Design and Tableau Contest 5th City on a Hill Bible Festival
🏅 PRIZE
🏆 Winner: ₱6,000.00
The Aseret HaDevarim: Group Design and Tableau Contest invites the six vicariates of the Diocese of Cubao to interpret a decisive moment in Israel’s faith history through a tableau vivant—a living, silent freeze-scene.
Each vicariate is tasked to portray Israel gathered at the foot of Mount Horeb as God proclaims the Ten Words, using visual design, symbolic elements, posture, costume, and spatial arrangement to convey the drama, solemnity, and theological depth of the event.
Silence and stillness are essential to the tableau, allowing the scene itself to speak.
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✨ Aseret HaDevarim and the Significance of Horeb
Aseret HaDevarim means “the Ten Words” (commonly known as the Ten Commandments).
In biblical tradition, God’s Law is presented not first as written rules, but as words spoken by God to His people.
The Book of Deuteronomy (chapters 4–5) deliberately names the sacred mountain Horeb, rather than Sinai. This choice is significant.
Horeb emphasizes:
• God speaking directly to the assembled people
• The Law as a living, audible Word, proclaimed “from the midst of the fire”
• The covenant as a relationship of listening and response, not merely written regulation
At Horeb, Israel did not simply receive stone tablets; they heard the voice of God and were formed as a covenant people. The Aseret HaDevarim thus stand at the heart of Israel’s identity—calling the people to remember, to listen, and to choose life by living according to God’s Word.
This contest invites participants to visually capture that decisive moment at the foot of Horeb, when God revealed Himself, spoke His Word, and called His people into covenant.
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🧭 CONTEST MECHANICS
1. Team Composition
• Teams shall be organized by vicariate.
• The six (6) vicariates of the Diocese of Cubao will each present one Group Design and Tableau interpreting the giving of the Law (Aseret HaDevarim) at Mount Horeb.
2. Designated Areas
• Each vicariate will be assigned a specific area within the venue for tableau setup and staging.
3. Provided Structure
• Each team will be provided with a pre-constructed wooden frame measuring:
3.0 meters (L) × 3.0 meters (W) × 3.0 meters (H)
• The frame shall serve as the visual boundary and backdrop of the tableau.
4. Supplied Furniture
Each team will be provided with:
• 2 tables
• 10 chairs
Furniture will be supplied by SJDW and Sacred Heart Parish-Shrine and may be used creatively as part of the tableau.
5. Theme and Biblical Inspiration
• The tableau must depict Israel gathered at the foot of Mount Horeb, as narrated in Deuteronomy 4–5, particularly the proclamation of the Aseret HaDevarim (Ten Words).
• Key elements may include but not limited to:
o Moses as mediator
o Mountain imagery, fire, cloud, and trumpet
o The assembled people of Israel
o Expressions of awe, covenant, and divine presence
6. Tableau Form and Presentation
• The presentation shall be a tableau vivant (living freeze-scene) during judging.
• The Board of Judges will visit each setup. Judging begins at 1:00 PM.
• Participants must remain motionless and silent, conveying meaning through posture, costume, expression, symbols, and staging.
• No spoken dialogue is required.
7. Construction and Preparation Timeline
• Friday, January 23, 2026: 🕒 3:00 PM – 9:00 PM
• Saturday, January 24, 2026: 🕖 7:00 AM – 12:00 NN
8. Exhibit Duration
• All tableau setups must remain on display until the conclusion of the Shrine of Jesus the Divine Word Fiesta Celebration, coinciding with the Sunday of the Word of God.
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🏆 CRITERIA FOR JUDGING
1. Biblical Fidelity and Theological Depth – 40%
• Faithfulness to Deuteronomy 4–5
• Clear understanding of the Aseret HaDevarim as God’s living, covenantal Word
2. Creativity, Inculturation, and Visual Impact – 30%
• Artistic creativity and visual clarity
• Meaningful inculturation using Filipino or local cultural expressions
• Strong overall impact and communicative power
3. Resourcefulness and Uniqueness – 30%
• Innovative and responsible use of materials
• Distinctive interpretation of the Horeb event
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🏅 PRIZE
🏆 Winner: ₱6,000.00
