Pittsburgh Crèche facts for kids
The Pittsburgh Crèche is a very large nativity scene located outside the U.S. Steel Tower in downtown Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. A nativity scene shows the birth of Jesus, often with figures of Mary, Joseph, baby Jesus, shepherds, and animals. Every year since 1999, this special display appears during the winter holidays. You can see it from November's Light Up Night until Epiphany in January. It is the only exact copy of the famous nativity scene found in St. Peter's Basilica in Rome. A group called the Christian Leaders Fellowship helps to sponsor and support it.
The Story Behind the Pittsburgh Crèche
The Pittsburgh Crèche has an interesting history. In 1989, a lawyer named Roslyn Litman went to the highest court in the United States, the Supreme Court. Her case was about a nativity scene that was displayed at the Allegheny Courthouse. The court decided that this display could not be on public land because it went against a rule called the Establishment Clause. This rule in the U.S. Constitution helps keep government separate from religion.
After this decision, the U.S. Steel Tower decided to create its own nativity scene. They placed it on their own private land. This was important because the court's ruling only applied to government-owned public spaces. Louis D. Astorino, who led an architecture company, visited Rome. He was so inspired by the nativity scene there that he wanted to create a similar one in Pittsburgh.
To help pay for building and keeping the crèche beautiful each year, the Pittsburgh Crèche Endowment Fund was started in 2006. This fund collects donations to make sure the tradition continues.
How the Crèche Was Designed
The Pittsburgh Crèche is a detailed copy of a stable designed by an Italian architect named Umberto Mezzana. It is very big! The stable measures 64 feet wide, 42 feet high, and 36 feet long. The human figures in the scene were created by an artist named Pietro Simonelli.
The Figures in the Crèche
Over the years, more and more figures have been added to the Pittsburgh Crèche. When it first opened in 1999, it included baby Jesus, Mary, Joseph, the Three Kings, two shepherds, and various animals.
The next year, in 2000, Simonelli added an angel that hangs above the crib. He also added more animals to the scene. In 2001, a woman and a child figure joined the display. In 2002, a company called JE Scenic Technologies added a kneeling shepherd. Later, they also created a reclining cow. Eventually, two more shepherds and two more angels were included. Today, the entire display features a total of 20 figures.
