The charming manger scenes traditionally share the story of the birth of Jesus. In addition to Mary, Joseph and the infant, the tableaux often include the wise men, angels, shepherds, sheep and other animals.
Family-friendly
The current exhibition, “Nativities and the Natural World,” is free and open to the public. In addition to more than 100 nativity scenes from 31 countries, there’s an interactive arts and crafts area for children in the first floor’s Stuart and Mimi Rose Gallery. Youngsters can color and decorate Christmas cards and make a poinsettia ornament. The “Seek and Find” cards lead families on a treasure hunt where they’ll search for figures located in Nativity sets on the first, second and seventh floor of the library. The kids will be scouting out starfish and frogs, ladybugs and pigs, horses and flowers. In many ways, the religious scenes are like doll houses, colorful and whimsical. The Marian Library’s other possessions — such as artwork and manuscripts — are also integrated into this show.
Religion teacher Kerri Haynes of St. Luke School in Beavercreek brought 40 of her third-graders to the exhibit to visit the exhibit last week and says the students were able to navigate through the collection fairly independently, with help from parent and teacher chaperones. “The students enjoyed seeing all of the manger scenes from around the world and especially the unique ones that showcased unusual materials,” she says. “We toured the week before the season of Advent began; and the students are continuing to be inspired as they prepare for the birth of Jesus by making their own Nativity scenes back at school. "
Choosing the “cribs”
How do you begin to select from 3,500 crèches? The giant collection, which represents 110 nations around the globe, is part of Dayton’s Marian Library/International Marian Research Institute, one of the world’s largest repositories of books, artwork and artifacts devoted to Mary, the mother of Christ.
Each year’s public exhibition focuses on a specific theme. This year it was Retzloff’s responsibility to pick one. She decided on the intersection of Christmas and nature. The exhibit was inspired by the 800th anniversary of St. Francis’ first Nativity scene. “It also connects St. Francis’ love of nature with Pope Francis’ Laudato sí, his encyclical on ecology and care for our common home,” she explains. “Laudato sí calls all people to respect and live in harmony with the natural world and encourages Catholics to connect their faith and ecology in order to develop solutions to environmental and social crises.”
She’s focusing on Nativity sets that illustrate the variety of creative ways folk artists incorporate plants and animals from around the world into the Christmas story. You’ll see characters and scenery made from gourds, straw, wood, mother-of-pearl and beeswax. There are manger scenes set in seashells, in banana leaves and created from volcanic ash. Small clay figures tell the Christmas story inside of a decorated nutshell. One artist uses the leaves, twigs and bark of the giant fennel plant native to Sardinia. “All of them reflect the natural world in which Christ was born,” says Retzloff.
The Marian Library Gallery, located on the seventh floor of Roesch Library, offers more ways to enjoy the history of Nativity sets, including St. Francis’ first Nativity scene in 1223 and two of UD’s historical depictions of the Nativity. Check out the history of manger scenes through an extensive timeline and learn more about Pope Francis’ ecological writings, inspired by St. Francis.
Kayla Harris, director of the Marian Library, says the annual Christmas exhibit is a tangible manifestation of the University’s Catholic and Marianist identity. She says it’s important to share that identity with students, faculty, staff on campus, and also with the community.
But although this exhibit focuses on Christmas traditions, organizers also say visitors of any faith or with no religious affiliation are also welcome. “As you engage with the exhibit, " they suggest, “think about cultural or religious objects that have meaning in your personal or family traditions.”
More manger scenes at Bergamo
The idea to gather the Nativities at UD originated with the Rev. Johann Roten, now the Marian Library’s retired director of research and special projects.
“I thought that we have students who are becoming doctors of theology and that we needed outreach to the community,” says Roten, who — not surprisingly — often had a Nativity scene displayed on his office desk. “I thought the Nativities were a wonderful way to attract people to the university — not only older people, but young people as well. I thought they would come and enjoy.”
That’s exactly what’s happened since 1997 when the Marian Library began to exhibit little crèches on top of bookcases and in between rows of books. In the 30 years since, the engaging exhibit has become a popular holiday tradition. In 2019, when the collection was featured on “CBS Sunday Morning,” the exhibit attracted 2,717 visitors.
Roten has continued to be involved and each year curates a smaller exhibit at Gallery Saint John located in the Bergamo Center for Lifelong Learning. He believes the displays are a good way to illustrate the ongoing relationship between religion and culture. His exhibit this year focuses on Provençal culture with crèches from 25 countries.
Roten’s favorite nativity set is “The Mirror of Hope,‘’ which is on display year-round at the Marian Library along with an impressive group of others including a terracotta creche by Dayton artist Robert Koepnick who served as the head of the sculpture department at the Dayton Art Institute.
Roten has written two books about the history of the collection; both can be purchased at the Marian Library and at the University of Dayton Bookstore.
Retzloff says she’s hoping both exhibits will help visitors envision the nativity in different parts of the globe and appreciate the cultures that have nurtured them.
HOW TO GO
What: “Nativities and the Natural World,” over 100 crèches from the collection of the Marian Library
Where: University of Dayton’s Roesch Library, 300 College Park, Dayton
When: Hours are 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday; 1-4 p.m. today, Dec. 16 and Dec. 17. Closed Dec. 21- Jan. 1. Reopens Jan. 2 and runs through Jan. 12.
Parking: Free. Go to the parking kiosk on College Park Drive and ask for a complimentary parking pass. For more detailed parking information, visit go.udayton.edu/christmas-exhibit. Parking can be arranged for large groups.
More info: For more information about visiting the exhibit and accessing the audio guide from anywhere, visit go.udayton.edu/christmas-exhibit. The Rev. Johann Roten has written two books about the history of the collection; both can be purchased at the Marian Library and at the University of Dayton Bookstore.
HOW TO GO
What: Thirty nativities from the Crèche Collection of the Marian Library, featuring the Provençal culture
Where: Gallery Saint John located in the Bergamo Center for Lifelong Learning, 4400 Shakertown Road, GSJ, Beavercreek. Enter on 4400 Shakertown Road and follow the signs.
When: 1-4:30 p.m. Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday. The exhibit will be closed from Dec. 21 — Jan. 1. Reopens Jan. 2 and runs through Jan. 12.
Admission and parking: Free.
For tours or more information: 937-320-5405
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