This Nativity Scene is the work of Theodore Onufrijchuk, Horticulturist for the City of Yorkton. He and his wife Ludmila were from Ukraine coming to Canada in the 1950s after having survived the horrors of concentration camps during World War ll. Mr. Onufrijchuk created a number of nativity scenes in the C.P.R. Park over the years. The first nativity scene recorded took place in Greccio, Italy in 1223 and its creation is credited to St. Francis of Assisi. While the story of the nativity was told in church every year, St. Francis thought the story should be told in a display. With permission from Pope Honorious III, St. Francis set up the first nativity scene in a cave complete with a manger and live animals. Living nativity scenes continued to exist, and in the 1300s they started manufacturing statue-sized figures, usually made out of terracotta. In the 1500s, smaller versions of church nativity sets began to appear in the homes of wealthier families, and artisans started to make the figurines out of clay, wax, and wood. The tradition spread through most Christian countries. Germany, especially took up the tradition in churches and in homes. On a personal note, I recall our father taking my brother, sister and I to our church in the village of Dollard to see the indoor Nativity scene every year of our early childhood. It was all part of the magic of Christmas along with the gifts under the tree that P猫re Noel had brought on Christmas Eve, the special meals and welcoming visitors. The following Christmas story shows how magical a time it was for a young boy In Yorkton. In 1903, this boy wrote a letter to the Editor of The Yorkton Enterprise telling him that he had been happy to receive the gift of an engine that traveled nearly as fast as a team of oxen! But, somebody had arrived at midnight on Christmas night and told all those present that Father Christmas was dead. The boy was obviously upset when he wrote 鈥淢r. Editor, Father Christmas is not dead, is he? He will visit us again, won鈥檛 he? That is my prayer!鈥� I have to say here, that the 鈥渒ill-joy鈥� visitor would not have been welcomed at our house in the 1940s, for my father even had an agreement with 鈥淧猫re Noel鈥� that he was not only bringing gifts on Christmas Eve, but he brought the Christmas tree and decorated it only while we slept!
To all our readers 鈥� Merry Christmas!
聽Contact Terri Lefebvre Prince,
Heritage Researcher,
City of Yorkton Archives,
Box 400, 37 Third Avenue North
Yorkton, Sask. S3N 2W3
306-786-1722
[email protected]
