Over 100 Nativity sets from around the world will be on display at the Franciscan Nativity Festival, Dec. 5 to 7, at the Chiara Center at the Franciscan Sisters motherhouse on Springfield's far northeast side. The three-day festival is free and open to the public from 2 to 8 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 5, and from noon to 4 p.m. on both Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 6 and 7.
St. Francis of Assisi, who founded the Franciscans in the 12th century, created the first Nativity scene as a visual means to convey the Christmas story to the people.
"St. Francis believed that Christmas was the dearest of feasts because it meant that God was now one of us - flesh of our flesh and bone of our bone," says Sister Renita Brummer, OSF, Chiara Center program director.
From the first live Nativity St. Francis put together in Greccio, Italy, the practice of displaying a Nativity set at Christmas has spread around the world.
Last year's first Franciscan Nativity Festival drew 1,000 people, even though freezing rain and ice pelted the area that weekend. While there is no way to control the weather, Sister Renita says this year even more unusual Nativity sets from around the world will be in the exhibit.
Wood, porcelain, metals, cloth, pottery and ceramics are just some of the media used to create the Nativities. "They all tell the same story, but are just different ways of thinking of it," says Sister Angela Kirchgesner, OSU.
The Nativity sets are on loan from their owners for the exhibit. Marg Timoney of Springfield loaned three of her Nativity sets for this year's festival.
"I think the Nativity Festival is the best kept secret in town," says Timoney. "Beautiful Advent chants play softly in the background; no one is talking, except for an occasional whisper, as you walk around looking at the Nativity sets, and reading the narratives owners have written about their sets. It really is a moving experience."
Festival visitors should come in the Chiara Center entrance. The first stop is the large Nativity scene in the motherhouse St. Francis Church. The exhibit continues in the large Bonaventure Hall, where the crèches are displayed on row after row of tables. Some sets are large, both in the number of figures or in sheer physical size. Others are very tiny.
"This exhibit isn't just for adults. Children will also find it interesting," says Brian Blasco, communications director for the Hospital Sisters. "When you look at the Nativity sets from a kid's perspective, which is closer to table level, you can notice things. Kids really taught us something last year."
Since it is Advent, no Christmas decorations are displayed. "It really helps people focus on what this season (Advent) is all about," says Sister Renita.