Bringing light to all: Lim arranging another nativity scene inside the Church of Our Lady of Sorrows in Macalister Road, George Town, Penang. — ZHAFARAN NASIB/ The Star
GEORGE TOWN: While you stroll around enjoying the city’s Christmas night scenes and savouring its hawker food, pause at the gates of the Church of Our Lady of Sorrows in Jalan Macalister to view a work of art depicting the Nativity of Jesus.
Using delicately moulded statues of almost a metre tall each, this faithful depiction of the manger where Jesus was said to have been born now adorns the church gates, which is a stone’s throw from Komtar and less than 50m walk from New Lane’s plethora of hawker stalls boasting classic Penang white curry noodles, fried oysters, beef ball noodles and much more.
The church’s parishioners recently kicked off early Christmas celebrations with a lighting-up ceremony of festive decorations.
This included a Christmas tree, a photo backdrop and strings of LED lights around the church compound, as well as the nativity scene at its entrance.
City Parish liturgy chairman Aaron Lim said the scene depicting the birth of Jesus Christ was previously displayed inside the church.
“We decided to move it outside to enable public viewing. The figures were purchased about a decade ago, but the structure and manger setting were all done by parishioners.
“As Christmas is all about welcoming the light of Christ into the world, we hope this would make the season’s message of peace, hope, joy and love more visible,” he said.
The nativity scene, otherwise known as a Christmas crib, was first created by St Francis of Assisi in Italy in the year 1223. Over time, displaying it has become a yearly tradition for Catholics.
Teacher Geraldine Dass, 44, and her children Sharveena, 15, Jaashvan, 13, and Praveena Tinahar, 10, felt that the new decorations brought extra cheer to the place.
“Christmas is something all of us eagerly look forward to each year. It is a time to meet friends and family and spread goodwill,” she said.
The ceremony last Sunday was led by City Parish priest Father Edmund Woon and assistant priest Father Desmond Jansen.
There were also performances from different groups of carollers in the church – the City Parish English Catechism Students, East Malaysian Group, Assumption Choir, OLS Mandarin Youth, City Parish Tamil Youth, OLS English Choir and Filipino Catholic Community.
Heart-warming carols in various languages echoed around the house of worship, which was established by Father Emille Barillon way back in 1888, to cater to the growing Chinese Catholic population in George Town. The present church building was opened in 1958 and features an imposing 32.6m-tall bell tower.
“The night of carols was also a celebration of our unity in diversity, with the four Catholic churches in town coming together in joyful melody,” said Lim.
Besides the Church of Our Lady of Sorrows, the other three are Church of the Assumption at Farquhar Street, Church of St Francis Xavier at Penang Road and Church of St John Britto at Sungai Pinang. Together, they form the City Parish.
Father Jansen said that besides being a time for gathering, Christmas was also an occasion to give back to the less fortunate segments of the community.
“As we enjoy the lighted decorations around us here today, let us also be the light that brings hope to others in need – in the true spirit of the season,” he added.
This will take the form of outreach programmes to three charitable organisations – the Father Julien Agape Centre, Penang Family Health Development Association, and adoptees of the Society of St Vincent de Paul – as well as carolling sessions at the homes of parishioners and various local community welfare centres.
