Once again the colonnade of St. Peter's Square is filled with nativity scenes from around the world.
Around 130 crèches make up the fifth edition of the Vatican's 100 Presepi exhibit. They come from different parts of Italy, Slovenia, Malta, Taiwan, and Guatemala, each sharing their rendition of the Christmas message.
ABP. RINO FISICHELLA
Pro-Prefect, Dicastery for Evangelization
I would say it's a tradition, a living tradition in continuity. I think that people coming is happy, not just to watch the nativities, but to catch the message that the Nativity gives.
Each year, a commission chooses certain nativity scenes to be displayed based on their design and what they represent. They sometimes represent current events. For example, this year, a few crèches come from Ukraine.
ABP. RINO FISICHELLA
Pro-Prefect, Dicastery for Evangelization
I would say this year the most expressive is the Ukrainian nativity. We put intentionally on the beginning of the exhibition and of the end just to show and remember to people that the most important is not just to watch but to remember what is the event that we are suffering all over the world, the war—not just in Ukrainian, but also in several parts unfortunately of the world.
A particularly touching nativity scene is this one that Sr. Theodosia Polotniuk brought from Zarvanytsia, Ukraine. It shows Christmas in the bombed city of Mariupol.
ABP. RINO FISICHELLA
Pro-Prefect, Dicastery for Evangelization
Mariupol was very known in the months ago just for the violence and for the destruction. If you watch this Nativity, you will touch with your hand how the violence of the war, the result represented in the Nativity.
For Archbishop Fisichella the 100 Presepi exhibit challenges people to reflect on their lives and what is going on in the world around them. He believes it offers them a chance to come together as one world and to show support for one another in challenging times.
ABP. RINO FISICHELLA
Pro-Prefect, Dicastery for Evangelization
For me, the most important thing is this one: we are not alone. We participate in one body and we are one world. And we should say with Pope Francis, we are really Fratelli Tutti.
The tradition of the 100 Presepi began in 1976 and continues to be a symbol of the true meaning of Christmas—that of caring for one another.
KG
