The Bethlehem Experience at St Agnes Catholic High School

St Agnes students Biblical times reenactment. A student is riding on a camel.

St Agnes Students reenacting biblical times

On Thursday 4 December St Agnes Catholic High School, Rooty Hill re-enacted the Nativity with real animals and many staff and students involved in the production.

The spectacular performance in the grounds was a moving showstopper with three camels, three sheep, a donkey, 30 cast members and a beautiful baby carried in the arms of Mary.

Religious Education Coordinator Julie Atkins said an enthusiastic group of teachers had spent weeks after hours painting a 30m by 3m nightscape of Bethlehem and the outside of the Jerusalem Temple (7m by 3.6m) and working on the costumes.

‘It was a labour of love - 30 handmade costumes, 32 square metres of biblical housing, 40 cans of spray paint, 50 meters of cable to suspend the Star of Bethlehem, 50 bails of hay and 460 square metres of painted backdrops to make this day possible,’ said Julie. ‘I think Holy Spirit got us through the huge amount of work involved!’

Year 2 children from Holy Family Primary, Emerton were agog in the front row of a large crowd of St Agnes students, teachers, family and friends.

Principal Peter Brogan said the idea was based on the school’s Franciscan heritage. ‘We thought how good it would be to do as St Francis of Assisi did in 1223 on Greccio when he was the first to re-enact the nativity with real animals to attempt to reignite the faith’, said Peter.

‘It was a mammoth task to have it ready on time. Congratulations to our RE team and the many, many helpers who contributed to the stunning re-enactment. We are already thinking this could be a yearly event at St Agnes,’ Peter said.