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NATIVITY DISPLAY
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NATIVITY DISPLAY: Jim Beeman of Hiram looks at a group of Nativities at the third annual nativity Display at Villa maria Community Center in Villa Maria, Pa. The display includes 150 Nativities from all over the world from family and community collections.
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INCLUDING HERS: Sister Mary Joana, one of the nun's at the Villa Maria community, admires the display of Nativities, which includes her own, No. 109. The exhibit continues today form noon to 4 p.m., and next Saturday and Sunday.
By Sean Barron
One set was made from the remains of a volcanic eruption that occurred 17 years ago.
VILLA MARIA, Pa. — Have you ever wondered what Nativity sets made from pure salt, recycled magazines or volcanic ash might look like?
If you have, it’s probably worth your while to stop by the Villa Maria Community Center.
The center, at 288 Villa Drive, about a mile south of U.S. Route 422, is the site for the third annual Nativity Display, which got under way Saturday and is sponsored by the Sisters of the Humility of Mary.
On display are about 150 Nativity exhibits from all over the world from families and community collections. The items represent a variety of cultures, races and faiths and are made from materials that can be shaped, molded, stitched or carved.
One of the main purposes of the display is to prepare people for the holidays by honoring the birth of Jesus, noted Kathleen Perry, the center’s administrative assistant. The show also is set up to recognize Advent, which began Nov. 30 and is a time of preparation for the coming of Jesus at Christmas, Perry said.
“The main focus is on the birth of Jesus and to get people to see the variety of cultures and uses of materials at hand, and to pay homage to Jesus,” Perry added.
Many stores have Christmas merchandise for sale as early as October, which is one way the anticipation and excitement preceding the holiday are weakened, she said. It’s also important for people to realize that Christmas is about a lot more than gift-giving, Perry added.
Many people perused through several rooms and took their time looking at Nativity items that ranged from the common to the unexpected.
One of the items that greeted attendees was a set containing the Holy Family and two angels — all made from salt — under a straw-covered rustic stable. That collection was assembled in 1942 and is thought to be one of the oldest on display, noted Sister Maryann Golonka, administrator.
Another depicting the Virgin Mary, Joseph and the baby Jesus was created several years ago, courtesy of volcanic ash from the 1991 eruption of Mount Pinatubo in the Philippines.
Not far away are fragile papier-mach representations of the Holy Family and a few villagers that were made about 20 years ago in Ghana, Africa.
For those who appreciate jigsaw puzzles, there’s the wooden Nativity with several interlocking pieces that fit inside a stable.
All of the Nativities have been arranged according to traditional, contemporary and unique categories.
Nineteen pieces are considered traditional, which includes mangers and other common religious symbols, and were made from typical materials, Perry explained.
The 31 in the contemporary classification contain relatively new materials such as resin and certain plastics; the rest are ones that “stood out,” and represent uncommon styles and/or the use of unusual materials, she said.
People also can buy merchandise at a gift shop specializing in fair-trade items, noted Yasmin Flor, who runs The Villa Shoppe inside the community center.
About 90 percent of the scarves, prayer bowls, coffees, jewelry, matted prints and other products in the store come from fair-trade retailers who have a partnership with artisans, workers, farmers and trades people, Flor noted. The relationship ensures that such workers can rely on a fair wage, safe working environment and humane work schedule, she continued.
The shop has also aligned itself with the center’s larger mission, which is to help other ministries as well as women and families all over the world to be self-sustaining, Flor pointed out. That includes working with organizations to set up schools, build roads and guarantee clean drinking water, for example, she said.
The Nativity display is open from noon to 4 p.m. today as well as next Saturday and Sunday and will also feature live music.