LARGEST HAND CARVED, LIFESIZE NATIVITY SCENE IN THE STATE

WHAT: Lifesize Great Nativity scene designed and carved by Johanne Albl of ALBL Oberammergau, who has been in the business of woodworking and sacred art in Germany since 1556. The set is completely one-of-a-kind; no other pieces like this exist in the country and was paid for in total through private donations. It is the largest lifesize nativity scene in the state. 

WHERE: Prince of Peace Catholic Church, 1209 Brush Creek Road, Taylors. The unveiling will take place in the main church.

ABOUT THE ARTIST:  Johanne Albl of ALBL Oberammergau carved the Great Nativity  from polychrome Lindenwood. The set is the largest ever commissioned in the family’s history. They are also one of the world’s leading firms for sacred art and architecture. 

VIEWING: 

• The Great Nativity at Prince of Peace can be seen in the church anytime between 7a and 7p every day until Sunday, February 2, 2026, the Feast of the Presentation of Jesus in the Temple. The wisemen begin in the Narthex and move toward the Holy Family with the Epiphany. The baby Jesus arrives on Christmas.
• The public is welcome at any time to visit, and is warmly invited to a candlelight Latin celebration of Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve or any of the Masses held at the Church

STATS AND FIGURES:

• 13: number of hand carved figures in the Great Nativity 
• 1,600 pounds: weight of the camel, the heaviest wood sculpture the artist has ever created

ABOUT: The following can be attributed to Fr Christopher Smith, Pastor:

St Francis of Assisi, one of Christianity’s most beloved saints, is credited with the first Nativity scene. In 1223, while visiting Greccio, Italy, St Francis had the idea of helping people visualize what the birth of Christ was like to help them understand the love with which the Word became flesh.  As St Bonaventure wrote of him, “Then he prepared a manger and brought hay and an ox and an ass to the place appointed. The brethren were summoned, the people ran together, the forest resounded with their voices, and that venerable night was made glorious by many brilliant lights and sonorous psalms of praise. The man of God [St. Francis] stood before the manger, full of devotion and piety, bathed in tears and radiant with joy. Then he preached to the people around the Nativity of the poor King; and being unable to utter His name for the tenderness of His love, he called Him the Babe of Bethlehem.”   

When I was a seminarian in Rome, I was introduced to the very large Nativity sets and small reproductions of Bethlehem in the Italian tradition that major churches like the Basilica of Ss. Cosmas and Damian had, scenes which attracted visitors from all over because of their artistic splendor and devotional beauty.  I was living in Chicago, when my parish, St John Cantius, fashioned an entire chapel to house an antique Baroque Neapolitan creche.  One of the greatest parts of living in Europe was how people prepared for Christmas with the Advent Markets and then set up very large Nativity scenes in churches and homes.

ALBL Oberammergau in the Bavarian region of Germany is one of the world’s leading firms for sacred art and architecture. Since 1556, they have provided world class masterpieces for churches all over the world. When Prince of Peace renewed its adoration chapel in 2018, I found the very small statue of the Infant Jesus which was integrated into the altar.  For several years now, I have been looking for a Nativity scene to rival those of the churches in Europe.  Prince of Peace’s patronal feast as a parish is Christmas, and we have an amazing team of patrons and volunteers who every year do an amazing job of making our church look beautiful for the Christmas season.  When I commissioned ALBL Oberammergau to create this new Nativity, I wanted something to add to the rich artistic patrimony of the parish, something of original and exquisite detail and craftsmanship.  As the pandemic raged and we lost beloved members of our parish family to COVID, and we all felt so much darkness, I wanted to find something which could be a visible reminder of the light and joy of the Christmas miracle, that Jesus comes to dispel the darkness.  It is the largest commission that ALBL has had in their 500 year history, and will be one of the largest Nativity sets in the country, all in a church dedicated to the Christmas season.

The Great Nativity at Prince of Peace is made of polychrome Lindenwood.  The figures are all lifesize, and include the Virgin Mary holding Jesus, Joseph, an angel and the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove, shepherd, ox, donkey, sheep, lamb, and a camel which at 1600 pounds and 9 feet is larger than an actual camel. 

When we engaged ALBL, I knew that funding such a unique piece of art that would be an inspiration for generations to come would be a challenge.  Maria Rauch, the Parish Secretary at Prince of Peace, took up the cause of raising money.  She was overseeing the decoration of the church the night before Christmas Eve three years ago when her husband suddenly died, leaving her with eight children.  This is very much a labor of love of bringing beauty and joy from sorrow and pain.  A team of parishioners gave donations to the project and even held a booksale whose proceeds went to defray the cost of the scene.