150-year old Nativity set

According to our local paper's recent article,
“Almost 800 years ago, St. Francis of Assisi created the first live Nativity scene. His goal, it is said, was to remind the Catholic faithful of the spiritual aspect of Christmas. The tradition spread to churches across Europe and, later, to the rest of the world.

“Almost 70 years ago, a student at Southern Illinois University attended church regularly at St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church in Carbondale. He was particularly fond of the Nativity scene displayed on the rectory porch every Christmas season. The set was a gift from the pastor at St. Boniface Catholic Church in Germantown sometime in the early 1940s.”

Long story shortened, that student returned to live in Carbondale and began the project of repairing and restoring these figures. Although he passed away in 2008, his family finished the project and the restored set is now set up in our church.

I didn't spend a lot of time photographing some of the figures, so there are still flash shadows, but the restored colors look great!

http://thesouthern.com/lifestyles/leisure/a-project-of-passion-restoration-of--year-old-nativity/article_79ecea69-6738-52e2-91b6-971eec73dd77.html

1 year ago (“Saint Andrew Catholic Church”): http://365project.org/rhoing/365/2014-12-21
2 years ago (“Frah-GEE-lay”): http://365project.org/rhoing/365/2013-12-21
3 years ago (“More wood furniture”): http://365project.org/rhoing/365/2012-12-21
4 years ago (“Another traditional family Christmas decoration”): http://365project.org/rhoing/365/2011-12-21

[ IMG_7704SOOC8x12tm :: f/4 :: 1/60" :: ISO-200 :: 60mm :: flash ]

21st December 2015 21st Dec 15