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A 2020 MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM THE KOMECHAK ART GALLERY!
We miss you this Christmas and we wanted to exhibit, virtually, some of our past images of the Festival of Trees & Creches and bring you some new and engaging content.
Wishing you Joy, Peace and Love and a
Merry Christmas to you and your family.
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ABOUT THE MARMION ACEDAMY CRECHE COLLECTION
Marmion's Leah and Ray Theisen Creche Collection
Marmion Academy, Aurora, IL
Leah Theisen began the collection with a gift from a student. It continued with some sets brought while traveling and homemade presents. In 2013 after many years of collecting, Leah and her husband Ray gifted the collection to Marmion. It contains more than 350 different sets!
The collection is remarkable in its range. The Nativity is recreated in European, Native American, Peruvian and Kenyan figures. There are animal stand-ins in some displays. The Wise Men vary in dress and gifts. Some characters are splendidly dressed in porcelain garments accented with gold high lights. Others are robed in simpler materials, like the burlap set.
There are children’s sets with figures meant to play with as well as some
that are quite fragile.
What all the pieces have in common is the story.
The Nativity story is told with love and hope:
love for the Holy Family, hope in the promise of a Savior.
Pope Francis’ Apostoli Letter, December 1, 2019, refers to the “enchanting image” of the Christmas creche:
“The nativity scene is like a living Gospel rising up from the pages of sacred Scripture”, continues Pope Francis. Contemplating the Christmas story is like setting out on a spiritual journey, “drawn by the humility of the God who became man in order to encounter every man and woman.” So great is His love for us, writes the Pope, “that He became one of us, so that we in turn might become one with Him.”
For the past three years the Komechak Art Gallery has been honored to use this collection as a part of our Festival of the Trees and Creches.
We thank Marmion Academy for the use of this virtual format,
making it possible to continue this tradition.
Merry Christmas!
The Story of the Birth of Jesus Christ
LUKE 2
Christ Born of Mary.
And it came to pass in those days that a decree
went out from Caesar Augustus
that all the world should be registered.
This census first took place while
Quirinius was governing Syria.
So all went to be registered.
Everyone to his own city.
Joseph also went up from Galilee,
out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea,
to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem,
because he was of the house and lineage of David,
to be registered with Mary,
his betrothed wife, who was with child.
So it was, that while they were there,
the days were completed for her to be delivered.
And she brought forth her firstborn Son,
and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths,
and laid Him in a manger,
because there was no room for them in the inn.
Glory in the Highest
Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night.
And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them,
and the glory of the Lord shone around them,
and they were greatly afraid.
Then the angel said to them,
“Do not be afraid, for behold,
I bring you good tidings of great joy
which will be to all people.
For there is born to you this day
in the city of David
a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.
And this will be the sign to you:
You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths,
lying in a manger.”
And suddenly there was with the angel
a multitude of the heavenly host
praising God and saying:
“Glory to God in the highest,
And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!”
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So it was, when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds said to one another,
“Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us.”
And they came with haste and found
Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger.
Now when they had seen Him,
they made widely known the saying which was told them concerning this Child.
And all those who heard it marveled at those things which were told them by the shepherds.
But Mary kept all these things
and pondered them in her heart.
Then the shepherds returned,
glorifying and praising God for all the things
that they had heard and seen,
as it was told them.
Wise Men from the East
Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea
in the days of Herod the king,
behold, wise men from the East
came to Jerusalem, saying,
“Where is He who has been born King of the Jews?
For we have seen His star in the East
and have come to worship Him.”
When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born.
So they said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea,
for thus it is written by the prophet:
‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
Are not the least among the rulers of Judah;
For out of you shall come a Ruler
Who will shepherd My people Israel.’ ”
Then Herod, when he had secretly called the wise men, determined from them what time the star appeared. And he sent them to Bethlehem and said,
“Go and search carefully for the young Child,
and when you have found Him, bring back word to me, that I may come and worship Him also.”
When they heard the king, they departed;
and behold, the star which they had seen
in the East went before them, till it came
and stood over where the young Child was.
When they saw the star, they rejoiced
with exceedingly great joy.
And when they had come into the house,
they saw the young Child with Mary His mother,
and fell down and worshiped Him.
And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him:
gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
Then, being divinely warned in a dream
that they should not return to Herod,
they departed for their own country another way.
Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of
the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying,
“Arise, take the young Child and His mother,
flee to Egypt, and stay there until I bring you word;
for Herod will seek the young Child to destroy Him.”
When he arose, he took the young Child and His mother by night and departed for Egypt,
and was there until the death of Herod,
that it might be fulfilled which was spoken
by the Lord through the prophet, saying,
“Out of Egypt I called My Son.”
images of past festival of the trees and creches at the komechak art gallery
