Poland - made of wood
Ireland - made of sandstone
France - papier mache
Poland - made of wood with colored paper and tinfoil - the Szopka tradition.
A slight change in plans this weekend. I had intended to go to the New Britain Museum but wound up instead in New Haven at the Knights of Columbus Museum. I am attaching some Nativity scenes but there is so much more to see. The Knights of Columbus was founded in New Haven in 1882 by Father Michael J. McGivney. The museum was founded by former Supreme Knight Virgil C. Dechant. Christopher Columbus is the patron for this order. He was chosen by Father McGivney for his discovery of the Americas and there are several statues of Columbus as well as a gallery in the museum devoted to him. There is also a Wall of History, statues of Saint Peter, a library and a theater. But this blog is just devoted to the many Nativity scenes from Italy, Spain, Poland, Ireland, the Czech Republic and France just to name a few. Hopefully, it will put you in the holiday mood. I noticed the Nativity scenes from the Eastern Bloc countries like Croatia, Poland and the Czech Republic were so much more vivid and bright than the western European countries. The German exhibit was made of Mikasa crystal, the Spanish scenes are terracotta and cloth, the Russian display is carved wood and Portugal is molded clay. Every country has a story to tell but what I found the most interesting was that the first known depiction of a creche was in Naples, Italy in 1567. There are several gorgeous Italian dioramas at the museum that depict the birth of Christ. In these scenes you will see the ruins of Greek and Roman temples to signify the demise of the pagan world and the birth of Christianity.
A slight change in plans this weekend. I had intended to go to the New Britain Museum but wound up instead in New Haven at the Knights of Columbus Museum. I am attaching some Nativity scenes but there is so much more to see. The Knights of Columbus was founded in New Haven in 1882 by Father Michael J. McGivney. The museum was founded by former Supreme Knight Virgil C. Dechant. Christopher Columbus is the patron for this order. He was chosen by Father McGivney for his discovery of the Americas and there are several statues of Columbus as well as a gallery in the museum devoted to him. There is also a Wall of History, statues of Saint Peter, a library and a theater. But this blog is just devoted to the many Nativity scenes from Italy, Spain, Poland, Ireland, the Czech Republic and France just to name a few. Hopefully, it will put you in the holiday mood. I noticed the Nativity scenes from the Eastern Bloc countries like Croatia, Poland and the Czech Republic were so much more vivid and bright than the western European countries. The German exhibit was made of Mikasa crystal, the Spanish scenes are terracotta and cloth, the Russian display is carved wood and Portugal is molded clay. Every country has a story to tell but what I found the most interesting was that the first known depiction of a creche was in Naples, Italy in 1567. There are several gorgeous Italian dioramas at the museum that depict the birth of Christ. In these scenes you will see the ruins of Greek and Roman temples to signify the demise of the pagan world and the birth of Christianity.The Knights of Columbus promote charity, unity, fraternity and patriotism. How fitting at this time of year to remember these principles.
