Château-Richer, Québec
For many years, thanks to the collectors of Christmas cribs, our house has been presenting an exhibition. This year, it is Mrs Reine Roy who has kindly offered the visitors to Château-Richer more than 130 cribs from her collection begun about 10 years ago.
« As for many of us in Québec, » she informs us, « the Christmas crib represents many things. It has been part of our lives since childhood. How many memories and good times it inspires in us! Sign of peace and renewal, it still holds so much fascination for me. »
Her 2010 display allows us to present six categories of cribs:
– Cribs of yesterday (before 1980) – Cribs of today
– Amateur cribs – Cribs of workmanship
– Cribs from other places – Jim Shore Collection
Each ensemble, figurines by themselves or figurines with stable, carries its label of identification to inform visitors of the place of fabrication, of the material used and of the date of fabrication. When the figurines were presented in a stable acquired independently, both articles carry their own label of identification.
From 6 December 2009 to 17 January 2010, visitors one after the other have been able to admire this display. They have not failed to loudly express their appreciation to Brother Paul-André Lavoie, their guide who welcomes them and provides details about many of these cribs of different provenances. We were happy to be able to pass on to Mrs Reine Roy the praises of the visitors.
The visitors were also to admire the crib in our chapel. The cavity created in this large rock had been set in place with the habitual care Br. Paul-André Lavoie brings to our annual exhibitions. The guide drew their attention to a remarkable piece of our Marist patrimony: the Infant Jesus in this crib which comes from France. This work of art in wax was bought like a precious asset by the Brothers of St-François-Régis during their exodus from France for Canada in June 1903, so it it is more than 100 years old! It adorned successively the cribs of Vauvert, Bagotville, La Baie, before becoming part of the wealth of art and patrimony of the Province of Canada, in Château-Richer.
Another crib was also presented to the visitors. Brother Bertrand Gendron, for his part, worked for more than a month, with all the care and skill he is known for, to set up his gigantic crib in the Champagnat Room. The dominant character, the Infant Jesus smiling and radiant in a winter landscape with lots of snow and all lit up. The Child lies under a tableau representing Saint Marcellin Champagnat, who invited the Marist Brothers of his time and all those who followed them in history to take the first place at the crib. This immense crib occupies a whole corner of the Champagnat Room in a typically Canadian landscape: a country spot featuring tree covered with snow in fields themselves snow covered? in immaculate cotton-wool!
The crib, historic centre of the beginning of a great adventure, never ceases to stimulate the imagination. For the men and women of our time it serves as a lesson: great works always have humble beginnings.
In creating his first crib, Saint Francis of Assisi certainly did not think that his very simple idea of illustrating the birth of Jesus would provide such inspiration for artists down the ages!
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Br. Laurent Potvin
18 January 2010