The Pittsburgh Creche
The Christmas tree at the point, department store
window displays, and the decorated Nationality Rooms at
the University of Pittsburgh are a few of the must-sees
during the holiday season in Pittsburgh. A new
destination was added a little over a decade ago—The
Pittsburgh Crèche.
Unveiled in 1999, The Pittsburgh Crèche has quickly
become a beloved Christmas observance for residents and
visitors alike. Located at 600 Grant Street, the
privately-owned site of US Steel Plaza, the crèche is a
larger-than-life nativity scene and the world’s only
replica of the Vatican’s St. Peter’s Square display in
Rome.
Sponsored by the Ecumenical Christian Leaders
Fellowship
The Pittsburgh Crèche is sponsored by the ecumenical
Christian Leaders Fellowship. The organization
represents ten bishops and denominational executives in
the greater Pittsburgh area. The denominations
include Roman and Byzantine Catholics; Presbyterians;
Episcopalians; Baptists; Lutherans; Greek Orthodox;
United Methodist; The Salvation Army, and United Church
of Christ.
Crèche is a French word meaning manger or crib.
St. Francis of Assisi, the Patron Saint of animals and
the environment, first introduced the custom of
depicting the manger scene in Greccio, Italy, in 1223 as
a way of portraying the humble yet glorious
circumstances of Jesus’ birth. This simple
pastoral scene has been inspiring onlookers for
centuries, and St. Francis would most likely be pleased
to know the tradition continues nearly 800 years later.
Conceived for Pittsburgh by Louis D. Astorino
During a business trip some years ago to Rome, Louis
D. Astorino, chairman of the Pittsburgh architectural
firm L. D. Astorino Companies, experienced the Vatican’s
Crèche and was so moved he felt compelled to bring a
similar one to Pittsburgh. Astorino sought
approval from Vatican officials and procured the actual
plans for the crèche. He then commissioned its
sculptor, Pietro Simonelli, to recreate the figures for
Pittsburgh’s crèche.
Simonelli, a gifted sculptor, creates masks for many
Italian and European opera houses, articles and animals
for Italian television programs, and portraits made from
papier-mâche, bronze, resin, and terra cotta for private
clients.
Constructing the crèche figures by using a wooden
frame, he fashioned their hands, feet, and faces from
modeling clay. These clay articles were covered
with papier-mâche and weatherproofed. In keeping
with the Vatican tradition, local communities of
religious women designed and sewed the garments for the
figures.
The stable was built according to Vatican architect
Umberto Mezzanna’s plans. It is 64-feet wide,
42-feet high, 36-feet deep and weighs 66,000 pounds.
This enormous structure was constructed at the Civic
Light Opera Construction Center, and each year it is
reassembled in sections.
Cranes lift the crèche’s panels, which weigh 800 to
1,000 pounds each, and JE Scenic Technologies, creators
of stage sets for Broadway and local theater productions
brings the plywood and steel recreation to life.
The Crèche Has Grown
Initially, the display contained only the infant
Jesus, Mary, Joseph, the Three Kings, two shepherds, and
several animals. In 2,000, a unique-to-Pittsburgh
figure was added, an angel that Simonelli created, which
hangs over the crib. More animals were added as
well, including a full-sized camel. In 2001, a
woman and child, with the woman holding a basket of
fruit, were included. In 2002, JE Scenic Technologies
created a kneeling shepherd for the crèche, and in 2003,
they created a full-sized reclining cow. Two more
shepherds were added later. In 2007, two
additional angels were added bringing the total figures
in the display to 20.
Recreating and maintaining the crèche is a
collaborative effort with more than 30 organizations and
businesses donating materials, labor, and funds.
While only a part of the Pittsburgh Christmas scene
since 1999, the crèche has already become a beloved
tradition. Besides being a scene of reverence, it
has become a destination where families gather to share
the holiday spirit. Children are delighted by the site
of the life-like figures and several couples have gotten
engaged at the landmark.
This year, the crèche is on display from Friday,
November 20, through Epiphany, January 7, 2010.
More than a quarter of a million visitors are expected
to visit the crèche during those few short weeks.
Local musical groups and choruses as well as national
singers have performed every year at the crèche. One
year, Italian bagpipers, in the tradition of ancient
shepherds, came from the village of Scapoli in Italy’s
Molise region to perform. A schedule of the events
is posted at the Roman Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh’s
website at
http://www.diopitt.org/crecheschedule.php.
Written by Jan Palko
Return to Top