BARBERTON: Pat Mitchell spends hours each Christmas season placing hundreds of Nativity sets throughout her two-story colonial home.
This year, she turned her collection into an exhibit at her church, St. Nicholas Byzantine Catholic, and found new inspiration.
“I can’t believe the reaction that they have gotten. It’s amazing to see how people go through and look at them and come to the realization that no matter where you are or who you are, if you’re a Christian, the real meaning of this Christmas season is the birth of Christ,” Mitchell said. “It has strengthened my faith to be able to share these reminders of the humble beginnings of the life of Christ and of the real meaning of Christmas.”
Mitchell began researching and collecting various models that represent the scene of Jesus’ birth about 25 years ago. After mentioning to her priest, the Rev. Miron Kerul-Kmec, that she had more than 160 artistic expressions of the Nativity, he suggested that she share them via an exhibit in the cultural center at the church at 1051 Robinson Ave., Barberton.
In setting up the exhibit, Mitchell discovered that she had underestimated the number of Nativities in her collection. In reality, there were 323. Now she has 328, after receiving five more from visitors to the exhibit — including one from a local artist that is carved inside walnut shells.
“She has always put in a lot of work decorating the house with them. I thought it was a good idea to bring them to the church because it got them out of the house. Of course, she thinks the house looks bare!” Mitchell’s husband, John, said with a chuckle. “It has been a good experience, but it looks like we will be taking more home than we brought to the church. I’m sure she will find a place for them.”
Mitchell’s collection includes many different representations that reflect things like culture and faith tradition. They are crafted from a variety of materials, including ceramic, glass, olive wood, marbles, rice, stained glass and Legos.
The Nativity set of Lego blocks includes three wise men with gifts, the manger, baby Jesus, Mary, Joseph, two angels, a shepherd and four animals. It is displayed on a table with other child-friendly expressions, including a wooden puzzle, Playmobil and Peanuts Nativities and a light-and-sound story of the Christmas Nativity.
Nearby is a Christmas tree, decorated with Nativity ornaments and sets made from yarn spindles and clay. The exhibit also includes sets from Peru, Ecuador, Russia, Kenya, the Dominican Republic, Honduras, Mexico and Canada. Others reflect Eskimo, Native American and Celtic cultures.
Tables also are dedicated to snow globe Nativities and creches with a theme that “We’re All God’s Creatures.” The latter group includes sets with animal figurines: dogs, cats, bears and reindeer. A safari Nativity portrays the baby Jesus as a baby hippopotamus.
The exhibit also includes a Roly Poly Nativity, a tea set Nativity, a pewter Nativity, a crocheted Nativity, a seed pod Nativity, a musical Nativity in a matchbox and a banana fiber Nativity.
Shelving provides a place for three Nativity sets that reflect the Byzantine Catholic tradition — a Nativity icon, a Nativity egg and a Matryoshka (nestling dolls) Nativity.
“Certainly, not all of the nativity sets reflect our faith tradition, but they all represent the same universal message,” Kerul-Kmec said. “It’s something fun that we can share with the community and show that God brings us all together — the different faith traditions and cultures — around this event, the birth of Jesus. There are so many expressions of how people see the Christmas story, but ultimately, we see that God is universal.”
Mitchell called the exhibit “a chance to share the Christmas story with others, and hopefully help them focus on the birth of Jesus this Christmas.”
“I’ve always loved Nativities because they symbolize the real meaning of Christmas: the birth of Jesus,” she said. “They always bring me into the season and make me stronger in my faith.”
Colette Jenkins can be reached at 330-996-3731 or cjenkins@thebeaconjournal.com. She can be followed at www.twitter.com/ColetteMJenkins.