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Fixing a Favorite

By Michele Devitt, Curatorial Assistant and Volunteer Coordinator

Our Marian Library crèche collection contains over 3,600 nativities. This figures to be well over 30,000 individual nativity pieces. Each year the Marian Library loans out 8,000 or more pieces. So, of course, we receive some of them back broken and in need of repair. Most repairs involve gluing and touching up paint. Occasionally the pieces go totally missing (sadly, usually baby Jesus or a lamb). Sometimes limbs and digits, kings’ crowns or gifts are missing. Sometimes animal horns and ears are broken off.

Recently, a beautiful 5-inch angel was missing a hand and foot. These little angel pieces were thinner than a pencil. One of our volunteers, Louise, undertook the painstaking and tedious job of re-fabricating her hand and foot. Louise is meticulous and spent over 20 hours on the repairs. Watching her, it was evident that she was in the midst of a spiritual experience. She said prayers and had conversations with this little angel as one could hear her talking while working in the repair corner of our workshop. When all was said and done, the darling angel from a St. Peter’s Square, Bradford Exchange set was ready to join her companions in good condition. She now hangs from the basilica watching over the whole crèche. Louise is forever connected to this nativity set, now her favorite!

To see Louise's angel in person, mark your calendars for this year's At the Manger. The theme, 'A Labor of Love,' will feature our volunteers' favorite Nativities.

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