Denver Catholic

ADVENT I 3 DENVER CATHOLIC REGISTER I DECEMBER 10, 2014 Participants will be able to ask questions or record a voice message for the archbishop! Sign up at archden.org 12/21 at 7pm with Archbishop Aquila Archbishop Aquila LIVE and INTERACTIVE INTERACTIVE Phone Call Phone Call with Archbishop Aquila LIVE and INTERACTIVE Phone Call SUN. SUN. "Enter the Mystery": A conversation on Christmas and the Church's mission BY NISSA LAPOINT The fi rst-recorded depiction of the Nativity Scene is cred- ited to St. Francis of Assisi in the 13th century. A historical account given by St. Bonaven- ture describes the Franciscan monk, who created a man- ger with hay and animals in- side a cave in an Italian vil- lage. Villagers were invited to gaze upon the scene while he preached about the "babe of Bethlehem." "It happened in the third year before his death, that in order to excite the inhabitants of Grecio to commemorate the nativity of the Infant Je- sus with great devotion, [St. Francis] determined to keep it with all possible solemnity …" St. Bonaventure wrote. "Then he prepared a manger, and brought hay, and an ox and an ass to the place appointed. The brethren were summoned, the people ran together, the forest resounded with their voices, and that venerable night was made glorious by many and brilliant lights and sonorous psalms of praise." According to the same ac- count, Pope Honorious III gave the monk permission to use the scene to tell others about the Nativity story. The tradition spread among Christian households across the world. In the 1500s, static Na- tivity sets appeared in churches and in the homes of wealthier families. Different materials were also used like wood or wax to create the fi gurines to depict the manger, shepherds, animals and Mary and Joseph. European and South Ameri- can homes adopted the tradi- tion of creating entire scenes depicting the wise men, the announcement of Christ's birth by an angel in addition to Mary and Joseph gazing on the baby Jesus lying in a manger. Some European homes, es- pecially in Germany, displayed all parts of the Nativity Scene except the baby Jesus, who was not displayed until Christmas Eve. By the 19th century, many Protestant churches also ac- cepted the Nativity Scene tra- dition and its popularity fur- ther spread. Today, some of the most popular Nativity Scenes are found at the Vatican, the White House and in Bethlehem. BY NISSA LAPOINT Memories of decorating the manger scene as young children are now reminders of the impor- tance of preparing for Christ's birth, say some local faithful. Father Luis Granados, D.C.J.M., parochial vicar at St. Mary Church in Littleton, re- members singing Advent songs, lighting candles and decorating a Nativity Scene as a young boy with his seven siblings and par- ents in Madrid. "The house was complete- ly decorated," he shared about his family home. "In Spain, all the houses had a Nativity Scene with water, sand and rocks. The one with a Joseph, Mary and an- imals was in the dining room, in the most important place. This is where we put the crib. The crib was empty because Jesus was not born." His mother would hide the ba- by Jesus fi gurine until Christmas. Before then, he and his siblings would add straw to the Nativity Scene and crib throughout the liturgical season of Advent. "The idea was we wanted to prepare the crib for baby Jesus so he could be warm and not on the stone that was cold and hard," he explained. "During the day we would make more sacrifi ces of charity, patience and not com- plaining. Then we would be able to take a little piece of straw and put it in the crib." Moving the straw became symbolic for preparing their hearts for Christmas. "The idea is the straw is our heart being prepared to wel- come Jesus. We are preparing the home and we are preparing our hearts to receive him," Father Granados said. "They are images I keep in my heart. When Advent comes, I remember this." Catholic families adopted the practice of setting a Nativ- ity Scene in the home after St. Francis of Assisi fi rst started the tradition in the 13th century. The scene spread throughout Italy and later into Europe and the Americas. Christians today use the mangers as a reminder of the reason for celebrating Christ- mas, the moment when Christ became man to enter the world and save sinners. Daniel Silva, a 20-year-old seminarian from Chile, contin- ues his family's tradition of deco- rating a manager at Redemptoris Mater Archdiocesan Missionary Seminary. "It's a gift of God to make the representation of the important event that happened in our his- tory," he said. The Nativity Scene he and fel- low seminarians Manuel Alar- con, 20, Hernaldo Arrieta Rojas, 21, are creating is more than the manger scene. They use fi gu- rines, sand, materials for land- scaping, clothes and structure to depict Biblical stories surround- ing the Nativity. One area shows an angel de- claring to shepherds the child's birth. Another shows the wise men traveling to adore the Christ child, Herod and his command to kill boys, and Joseph and Mary fl eeing into Egypt. "It's a spiritual help for me be- cause I can come out of myself and give my talent for evangeli- zation," Alarcon said. "And it's a way of catechizing children." He said children will view the Nativity Scene and ask questions, giving him a chance to share the Christmas story with them. As a child, his own family in Chile did not decorate their home with a Christmas tree. Instead they spent time decorating a Na- tivity Scene, which he said is a re- minder of Christ's humble act of becoming a little child. "In the end, it's beautiful," he said. Christmas traditions: Remembering the reason for the season Picturing the scene of Jesus' arrival Birth of the Nativity Scene PHOTO BY RAÚL HERNÁNDEZ GONZÁLEZ/FLICKR MIDNIGHT MASS LIVESTREAM The Offi ce of Communications will broadcast the midnight Mass with Archbishop Sam- uel Aquila starting 11:45 p.m. Christmas Eve, Dec. 24, from the Cathedral Basilica of the Immaculate Conception. Visit www.archden.org/livestream to watch the Mass online. PROVIDED BY REDEMPTORIS MATER SEMINARY becoming a little it's beautiful," he said. SEMINARIANS are constructing a Nativity Scene at the Redemptoris Mater Archdiocesan Missionary Seminary to share Christ's birth and the Biblical events that occurred at the time.

• Cover