Treasures of our Benefice
The Nativity set at Colemere is very old and much used. Each generation has refreshed the paint, and it is brought out each Christmas and set up near the altar. Years ago there was a tradition on Christmas morning that the priest would place the baby Jesus in the manger at the start of the Mass of Christmas and bless it.
St. Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of animals began the Christmas tradition of nativity scenes because he wanted to help people gain a fresh sense of wonder about the first Christmas. Until then people celebrated Christmas by going to Mass at church, where priests would tell the Christmas story in Latin, a language that most ordinary people didn’t speak. Francis, who was living in Assisi in Italy, got the Pope’s permission to proceed with his plans. He borrowed some animals and straw and set up the scene in a cave just outside the village. There was a wax figure of the infant Jesus, costumed people were playing the roles of Mary and Joseph, and the live donkey and ox were there as well. Local shepherds watched over their sheep in nearby fields, just as shepherds in Bethlehem had watched over sheep on the first Christmas, when the sky suddenly filled with angels who announced Christ’s birth to them.
That first nativity scene presentation proved to be so popular that people in other areas soon set up similar nativity scenes to celebrate Christmas. Nowadays Christians all over the world celebrate Christmas with nativity scenes in their town squares, churches, and homes.
Christopher Jobson