Saturday, December 24, 2016
By LINDA M. LINONIS
YOUNGSTOWN
Advent is the season of expectation of the birth of Jesus, and the sense of the anticipation has been heightened at St. Christine Church in the presepio display.
The Rev. John Keehner, pastor, said he has been building the presepio the past three to four years. He explained that the presepio is a custom among many European churches. “It’s not only the manger with the Holy Family but the entire town and people,” he said.
He said he started the display Dec. 8, Feast of the Immaculate Conception, and has added pieces since. The last addition will be Christmas Eve with the figure of baby Jesus.
Father Keehner said he lived in Italy for two years, and that’s where he learned about the tradition. He started buying Fontanini figures at the Piazza Navona, a Christmas marketplace.
Fontanini is a well-known manufacturer of Nativity sets and figures. Fontanini figures, which are handpainted, are distinct in their detail and lifelike appearance. Emmanuele Fontanini, a trained Italian artisan, opened his first shop in 1908.
“They tend to be expensive,” he said of the figures. He tries to add to his collection every year.
The St. Christine display is located in the shrine area, where the St. Christine icon, Infant Jesus of Prague statue and bronze image of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton usually are located.
Father Keehner said his display is modest in comparison to one displayed in St. Patrick Cathedral in New York City. “It follows a day in the life of the town – from morning to night,” he said, adding he makes a trip to see it.
The cathedral on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan will continue the elaborate display through Jan. 6. It is the work of Maestro Franco Artese, who used the landscape of Basilicata, Matera. The city is known for its stones and has a long history. The ancient farming civilization of Basilicata, the “civilization of hands,” highlights fieldwork and ancient crafts. The people had a strong religious sensibility.
Father Keehner said the presepio is arranged on different levels. “I used boxes to create the levels,” he said. The boxes are covered by fabric.
The St. Christine exhibit has more than 100 figures in 7-inch scale in muted colors. On the different levels are groupings that include the Three Kings with tent and elephant and camels, angels over a field with 10 shepherds and 20 sheep and the stable at the edge of town.
Father Keehner said he had a specific reason to put the presepio together. “I wanted to share a culture in which I lived for a while,” he said.
“The display shows that Christ was not born in isolation. I believe it also relays the idea that Christ comes to us wherever we are,” Father Keehner said.
The presepio display is one avenue to learn about another culture and how it showcases the Nativity.
In the past few years for vespers during Advent at St. Christine and gatherings that followed, Father Keehner said the church also has had a Christmas Around the World series. It involves explaining Christmas customs in such places as Slovakia, Ireland, Spain, Italy, Germany, Great Britain and France. He said customs including food and music are explored.
“I think this helps us renew and appreciate our own customs in Slovak, Italian and Irish traditions,” he said.