Your answers
What animals should be included in the nativity
scene?
"The ox and ass and camel, which adore," became inextricably
linked with the nativity scene, and without them it would be
considered incomplete. Because there is no mention of the presence
of animals at the manger in the biblical infancy narratives, it is
unlikely that they figured in the crib that Pope Sixtus III
constructed in the side chapel (ad Praesepe) at Santa Maria
Maggiore in fifth-century Rome.
It was only from the eighth century onwards that an ox and
donkey entered the scene. This was due to the pervasive influence
of the apocryphal Gospel of Pseudo-Matthew.
In this, the anonymous Latin author brought animals to the
manger, and quoted Old Testament testimonies fulfilled at Christ's
birth: "Mary went out of the cave and entering a stable placed the
child in the manger, and an ox and an ass adored him. Then was
fulfilled that which was said by Isaiah the prophet [Isaiah 1.3],
'The ox knows its owner and the ass his master's crib.' Therefore
the animals, the ox and ass, incessantly adore him. Then was
fulfilled that which was said by Habakkuk the prophet, saying,
'Between two animals you are made manifest'" (Habakkuk 1.3, an old
Latin translation of the Greek, but not Hebrew, text).
All this served as the model for St Francis, when, on Christmas
Eve in 1223, at Greccio, he set up the crib as a tableau
vivant, with these animals, and, no doubt, others, such as a
lamb, commandeered for the occasion. In keeping with traditional
iconography, camels will also be included when the Magi make their
appearance at Epiphany. This popular scenario in mosaics and
paintings of some of the great masters was inspired by pious
imagination, to teach that Christ's birth brings a restoration of
harmony throughout creation, in which the animal kingdom
shares.
No less inspired is the proposed suggestion to extend the total
picture by including other animals from around the world besides
those of first-century Palestine. This is fully justifiable, and
will not only add realism to the crib, but also make an important
statement about Bethlehem: that the Christ-child's universal
kingdom embraces, without exception, "all creatures great and
small".
(Canon) Terry Palmer, Magor,
Monmouthshire
Your questions
Where does the practice of using amber wine for
communion come from, and why is it done? Do we not lose the
symbolism of red wine?
F. S.
Out of the Question, Church Times, 3rd floor, Invicta
House, 108-114 Golden Lane, London EC1Y 0TG.
questions@churchtimes.co.uk