Monday, December 25, 2023

Nativity Scenes 800 Years Ago and Now

The celebration of the Nativity of the Lord on Christmas Day is special for 2023 because it marks 800 years since St. Francis of Assisi first created a Nativity scene in Grecio, Italy.  (I found a great article about it here.)

One major part of the Feast of Christmas is that God came to us in Jesus Christ, Who was the Word Made Flesh.  We see God continues to be present in our world in tangible ways.

Nativity scenes are a great way to represent how God is present with us.

Like much of religious art, it has taken on the characteristics of the culture that creates it.  I have enjoyed special displays with Nativity scenes from around the world, like has happened often at Ascension Church during the Christmas Season.

On this anniversary occasion, I think about Nativity scenes that have been personally meaningful for me.

My grandparents had an outdoor scene for years in front of their home on Lamon on the North Side of Chicago.


Inside, they had a wonderful Nativity scene, which I believe came from Spain.


At beloved 1036, we had two different scenes.  The set that especially resonated with me was from  Mexico.


Much later in our time there, Dad set up a light display outside that would show a Nativity scene.


Thinking about these scenes, I join the words of the song, "O come, let us adore Him, Christ the Lord!"

I pray that as we annually celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, these Nativity scenes can play a part in helping us ponder more deeply the Mystery of the Incarnation, that God is real because He has come so close to us.

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