Parisian Phoenix Publishing

I was thinking about what to write this year for Christmas, and the nativity came into mind. As I looked at different artwork and photographs of the nativity, it appeared to me that there are typically four elements within the nativity. First is Mary, Joseph, and the Christ child, which is usually located in the center of the artwork or display. Second is the other human element of the shepherds and the three Wise Men. Third is the angels and the Star of Bethlehem strategically placed above the posing scene. The fourth is the animals.  

I became focused on the animals and realized that the positioning of the animals is without strict guidelines or regulations on what animals can be placed within the nativity scene. The donkey, ox, cow, and sheep are almost always within the nativity scene. I would say they are the standard or the basic animal group. Then came the camels, which represent the transportation of the three Wise Men. I’ve seen horses and elephants that I believe also represented the transportation of the Wise Men. Goats, chickens, ducks, and geese all have been added. Doves, peacocks, and songbirds have been placed strategically throughout the nativity. I realized that there were very few cats and dogs amongst the privileged animals to experience the birth of the Christ child, and if they were added, they came later. One scene portrayed a pig amongst the animals. I found this extremely out of place since the Christ Child’s family was Jewish. 

I took a little survey asking people what animal their favorite within the nativity scene is. Donkey and sheep came out even, next is the camel, one cow, and no oxen. One person said rat, because the birth of Christ took place in a stable, there had to be a rat somewhere.  

Saint Francis of Assisi was the first to assemble a nativity scene in 1223, at Christmas Mass, 800 years ago, in the small, Italian town of Greccio. Saint Francis displayed a live representation of the birth of Jesus. This consisted of a manger with straw, an ox, and an ass. These three elements became the basis of the nativity, telling us how humble the birth of Christ was. I was amazed to find stories of phenomena that took place at that time: out of the empty manger, Saint Francis picked up a human child and held it in his arms; a wooden doll that had been placed in the manger cried tears; and the straw from the manger became holy with healing powers and helped women who had a hard time giving birth. You may want to further research this yourself. 

One of my favorite stories about the nativity is: when Jesus was born at midnight, God’s whisper peeled back a veil that allowed the animals to speak in human tongues. When the animals looked at the wide-eyed infant, they spoke like poets praising the miracle of the birth of Christ. But when the shepherds came into the stable, they became silent, leaving only Mary, Joseph, and baby Jesus to witness the words of the beasts. 

Why are the animals a part of this miracle? Is it telling us that Christ is in everything that God created? Are the beasts supporting the humbleness of the creche, the manger scene? Or is it a subtle, almost hidden reason why the animals were placed within this stable? I believe animals are the go-betweens that lead us to union with God. The animals in the stable help make the miracle more real, a little part of nature that helps us join the nativity scene. 

When we see a beautiful sunset and say, in awe, “Isn’t nature spectacular?” Aren’t we talking about the nature of God, the power of the cosmos, the spirit of the universe? When we look at the manger scene and say, “Oh, look at that donkey,” or “Isn’t that sheep so cute,” we are also thanking God for his creative genius and that connects us to the nativity. 

In Saint Francis’ first nativity scene, the ox and the ass were the main characters. There were no shepherds, or angels, nor Mary and Joseph, nor even the Christ child. It was two beasts and a manger. The animals were there to show how humble and how down-to-earth the miracle of this birth is. The birth of Christ was so sacred that only the animals could observe, not the humans. The shepherds came after the Christ child was born. The only thing that we can add to the nativity is what was in the beginning… the animals. Over the years people enlarged the manger scene by the addition of animals. Chickens and ducks, roosters that crow, barn swallows that sing in the rafters. Dogs and cats. Goats, monkeys, lions and tigers and bears. Oh my! Elephants and horses. There is probably one with a dinosaur among the menagerie of creatures.  

I believe we do this because we long to be part of the drama that was in the stable that night. Can you picture yourself standing next to a donkey and seeing Mary give birth to Jesus? Probably not. But I think you would love to be with the Wise Men as they give gifts to the Christ child or to sing with the shepherds and angels. Every year we create traditions to celebrate this magical time. It can be a gathering of friends and family, or the wearing of a particular garment year after year, or a pilgrimage to see a nativity scene or the Christmas lights. All this helps us become connected to the spiritual part of life, deep down inside us is our spirit and only at sacred times do we allow our spirit to soar. Christmas is one of those times for me.

A memory that popped into my brain when I was writing: I grew up in Bethlehem, the Christmas City and I went to the Church of the Manger. I have been told that after 70 years, the church has been sold. It is waiting to be torn down to build apartment buildings. I always thought it was kind of unique to go to the Church of the Manger in Bethlehem. I don’t know of any other church with the name Church of the Manger. At the Christmas candlelight service in 1961, when I was 13-years-old, on a 50 cent bet, I ate a candle. 

A little, white candle with the paper doily at the bottom (so the wax would not drip on your hand) was given to everybody. At a particular time in the service, one candle was lit and then that candle lit another and that candle lit another and so on, until the whole congregation was holding little white candles all aglow and singing Christmas carols. But not me, I was taking bites out of my candle and chewing it like it was bubble gum. All my friends were giggling and snickering as they cheered me on to finish my waxy snack. At the end of the service one the older guys, Dick Copenhagen, handed me his candle and said, “You can have mine for dessert.” I got my 50 cents and for a short time I was a celebrity within the Church of the Manger and the neighborhood of Kaywin known as the kid who ate a candle on Christmas Eve.   

God bless and have fun!