Creches from around the world give various views of Christmas story

Published: 2003-12-09

WASHINGTON (CNS) -- Christmas creches -- some looking like lively theatrical tableaux, some baroque and mannerist, and some naive in style -- are on display at the Pope John Paul II Cultural Center in Washington through Jan. 25. The creches in the exhibition, called "Joy to the World: The Third Annual International Nativity Exhibit," all define the spirit of Christmas, the birth of Christ, through the eyes and experience of the cultures where they were made, whether it is Nigeria, Poland or Alaska. The center is showing 177 creches from 58 countries, said Penelope Fletcher, deputy director, as she walked through the exhibition located this year in a spacious, upper gallery of the center. The Nativity scenes were selected from the collections of Msgr. Adam McCloskey, Father James Profota, and James and the late Emilia Govan. It is the third year that creches from the Govan collection are being shown.

Copyright (c) 2003 Catholic News Service /U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. The CNS news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed, including but not limited to such means as framing or any other digital copying or distribution method, in whole or in part without the prior written authority of Catholic News Service .