St. Aloysius creche tradition continues
The nearly life-size creche at St. Aloysius Church is waiting for the baby Jesus to arrive.
Loretta Buzzeo, who has helped care for the creche for decades, shared some history of cherished seasonal landmark on South Avenue.
The infant arrives on Christmas Eve around 4:30 p.m Traditionally children of the parish perform the Christmas Pageant, but that has been canceled this year because of COVID-19, she said.
“The creche, especially where it is located, is a reminder to all who walk or drive by of what this season really means, the Birth of Our Savior,” Buzzeo said.
“The creche is, for many, a powerful reminder of what Christmas is: God loving the world so much that he comes into the world as one of us. We are blessed that we can share this depiction of the work of God and bring some joy to a weary, worrying world,” Father Rob Kinnally, pastor of St. Aloysius said.
“As far as I know the Creche goes back to the 1950s in front of the old church on South Avenue,” Buzzeo said.
“The decoration of the Creche was done by Roger Socci a lifelong resident of New Canaan and a parishioner of St. Aloysius Church,” Buzzeo said.
“My husband, Gino Buzzeo, began working for Roger in 1959 as a landscaper for Roger’s business, the Silvermine Landscape Corp.,” she said.
Roger Socci died in November 1975.
“The Creche is decorated with evergreen and holly from our yard. My family and I are honored to continue with this tradition.” Loretta Buzzeo
“That Christmas we began our journey in caring for the Creche. Gino Died in 2014 and my family and I, along with our still-in-existence Silvermine Landscape Corp., have continued the tradition in honor of Roger and Gino,” Buzzeo said.
“The creche is also used during the Holiday Stroll where the confirmation class of St. A’s perform three shows of the Nativity, the performance is enjoyed by many who walk by, sing along with the children, or simply watch.”
The holiday stroll was canceled this year as well.
“The Creche is decorated with evergreen and holly from our yard. My family and I are honored to continue with this tradition,” Buzzeo said.
“The Knights of Columbus put together the building, take it down and store it,” she added.
The baby Jesus is traditionally there for 12 days after Christmas, coming down on the Epiphany, Jan. 6, 2021. The Epiphany is when Christians celebrate the arrival of the Wise Men, or Three Kings, visiting Jesus.