Story by Dominic Winter
LINCOLN (SNR) – Cristo Rey Parish, which serves the Hispanic Catholics in the Lincoln area, is again housing a 28-foot nativity scene through Jan. 8.
The elaborate construction depicts not only Bethlehem, but also scenes from Nazareth, Egypt and the Jerusalem Temple.
The scene, called a belén in Spanish, has been hosted at Cristo Rey each year since 2004 and takes a week to construct by a handful of primary builders and other volunteers. They are motivated by the joy that comes at Christmas; the nativity scene is like a birthday gift for the newborn Savior.
“For those who have children, one of the most important moments in your life is when your child comes into the world,” Pepe, one of the builders, said. “In this case it is Baby Jesus.”
This gift of Christ’s birth is appreciated in cultures around the world. The Cristo Rey belén expresses this not only with the 28-foot scene, but also with displays of small nativity scenes crafted in places around the world.
In celebrating Christ’s life worldwide, Cristo Rey uses all donations received in connection to the nativity scene to serve Catholic communities overseas. In rural Kenya, Cristo Rey parishioners are helping build a church at Kitukuni, and are supporting the Nyumbani and Merci Sisters of the Poor orphanages.
Not only the donations, but the very act of building the scene recalls helping those in need. Pepe recalled that Mary herself was a teenage, pregnant, persecuted refugee who had to travel from Nazareth, to Bethlehem, to Egypt, and back.
“Building the nativity scene is an analogy for us providing a home for those in need,” he said.
The belén is open for public view from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily at Cristo Rey Parish: 4245 J St., Lincoln.
