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Father Salvador Márquez-Muñoz’s Nativity scene is stopping traffic outside the rectory located at 1350 West Twinsprings Street in Siloam Springs.
The house, which is located a short drive from St. Mary Church where Father Márquez-Muñoz is pastor, has been decked out with the life-size figures since Nov. 25.
The display started as an idea to reinforce the true meaning of Christmas. Father Márquez-Muñoz has long held an affinity for displaying such scenes, starting in his youth.
“I always had a great time with the Nativity,” he said. “I filled up the whole living room of my parent’s house.”
In 2011, the display was simply the Christ child, but parishioners encouraged him to expand to the Holy Family last year. Once parishioners got behind the effort, the result has been a display with life-size mannequins that has grown from a relatively modest scene to something larger and more elaborate every year.
This year’s additions include an extra shepherd and angel to bring the figurine headcount to 12. But the showstopper is a custom-built stable that took six men to assemble on the rectory’s covered porch and that is large enough to accommodate all of the mannequins. Observers, both Catholic and non-Catholic, regularly drive by the display with nothing but positive things to say about it.
“People already have been walking by and saying how great it looks and we didn’t even have the figurines up yet,” he said. “The stable itself is just awesome.”
Altogether, about a dozen parishioners work on the display. In addition to set up, people sew costumes, contribute hay or make minor repairs to the mannequins. Others donate money for figurines or costumes.
The new stable followed in this tradition, built by parishioner and local tradesman Jose Luis Rojos.
“Luis is a very, very devout guy,” Father Márquez-Muñoz said. “He’s someone who can build you an entire house, and I mean everything, from the ground up.”
Originally, Father Márquez-Muñoz wanted to buy life-size figurines but upon discovering just one statue can cost as much as $1,000, that plan was quickly dismissed. Instead, he got the idea to use mannequins, and he found them far more affordable. Some inexpensive wigs and the occasional ready-made costume and the entire display costs less than a couple of life-size statues, although finding affordable animal statues remains problematic.
“I still don’t have any donkeys or oxen,” he said. “Maybe next year.”
The first Nativity scene, or crèche, is credited to St. Francis of Assisi who, in 1223, created a live scene in conjunction with midnight Mass in a cave near the small mountainside town of Greccio, Italy. St. Francis came up with the idea — which was executed with papal approval — as a way for the illiterate and non-Latin-speaking common people to more fully envision the story of Christ’s birth.
The crèche still holds that illustrative power, Father Márquez-Muñoz said, adding that the most rewarding thing about the annual project are the simple, powerful reminders the display provides on the meaning of Christmas and the role of faith in daily life.
For example, the first year the infant Jesus figurine was alone on the porch with a sign proclaiming that Christ was born, the baby mannequin was often mistaken by passersby for an abandoned child. The image, while unintended, was thought-provoking.
“I thought: Isn’t that what a lot of us do this time of year? We abandon Christ and focus on other things,” Father Márquez-Muñoz said.
He also surmised that one reason the project inspires such fierce devotion and participation is in the diversity of people it depicts.
“I think that may be what makes this special to many people,” he said. “When you see the shepherds, the humble working class there with the wise men, and when you see people of color with white men, it says that Christ came for everyone.
“I want this display to help remind us to go back to what Christmas really means, the true beauty of the Nativity.”
The display can be seen through Dec. 31.
