The 2024 Peoria Area Community Festival of Nativities was held Dec. 5-8 at The Christian Church of Peoria (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints), and once again featured the historic nativity scene from St. Mary’s Cathedral in Peoria.

The nativity was created by the German master craftsman Sebastian Osterrieder in 1930. As a young artist studying in Rome, Osterrieder fell in love with nativities, or as they are called in German – krippen, or cribs.

The international nativity collection of Father Ronald Margherio from St. Bede Academy in Peru was also on display at the festival. (Peoria Area Community Festival of Nativities)

The 50-piece scene was acquired by Bishop Joseph Schlarman on a visit to Munich in 1931, and has been displayed at St. Mary’s Cathedral commencing in 1933 – a source of hope then, in the depths of the Depression – and every Christmas since.

REFLECTING ON CHRIST’S BIRTH

The Peoria Area Community Festival of Nativities features nativity displays from around the world, with a goal, as the website says, “to provide a peaceful place for individuals and families to reflect upon Christ’s sacred birth as they usher in the Christmas season.”

The festival is in its ninth year, and is sponsored by local faith communities including Peoria’s Holy Family and St. Vincent de Paul parishes.

The manger was displayed separately from the rest of the St. Mary’s Cathedral nativity to greet visitors as they arrived at the festival. The elements will be re-united at St. Mary’s on Dec. 16. (The Catholic Post Online/Paul Thomas Moore)

St. Mary’s historic nativity scene will return home to the cathedral on Monday, Dec. 16. This year, it will be a limited display highlighting the Holy Family and the Three Wise Men.