More on Vatican nativity scene

Zenit has a little background explanation of this year's Vatican Nativity Scene. The article by Carrie Gress's quotes Elizabeth Lev, art expert and Zenit columnist. After explaining that the scene represents St Joseph's experience, Lev explains:
"In the Nativity accounts, a mother figure is always there, but this Nativity makes present the importance of the father figure and the fact that he is essential. It's a reminder that he wasn't born only to a mother, while providing a source of meditation during this time when we are faced with the battle against marriage and the family. It is a good way for the Church, in nonaggressive and nonpolitical way, to remind us of the basis of our understanding of family through the Holy Family.

"This is a Nativity very much of Joseph Ratzinger, a teaching Nativity. Instead of complacently laying out the characters, this year they are being laid out in a way so we have to think about what this momentous birthday means, think about the circumstance in which Jesus is born, while reminding us of Joseph's essential role."
I quite like that. The scene is to be unveiled on Christmas Eve and I look forward to seeing photographs of it.

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