Australian Local Council Bans Traditional Christmas Nativity Event on Its Premises

A Greccio citizen, dressed as St. Francis performs in a reconstruction of the first Jesus nativity made of the Italian saint on the year 1223 in the Italy's center village on Dec. 24, 2007. Paolo Tosti/AFP via Getty Images

A local council in Sydney has decided against hosting a blessing of the crib event and nativity scene on its premises to the dismay of many residents.

The Mosman Municipal Council in the North Sydney area confirmed it would no longer display the nativity scene in the foyer of the council chambers.

The scene was donated by former five-time Mayor Dom Lopez in 2008 for the community to enjoy.

The former mayor’s son, Anthony Lopez, was upset that the move had supposedly been made without community consultation.

“He donated the nativity scene to Mosman council knowing that it would be a yearly tradition,” Lopez told 2GB radio. “He'd be disgusted that one of the true meanings behind Christmas can’t be celebrated.”

“It’s an outrage.”

Lopez believes the council made the decision because of the rise of cancel culture.

“They want to be politically correct, which is not always right. People need to stand up to this because it’s becoming worse every day,” he said.

“These people make decisions because the culture council is out there. It’s totally wrong. I mean, what are they gonna do next?”

A scuplture of a baby Jesus that is part of a nativity scene from Spain is displayed during a "Joy to the World" exhibit in Washington, on Dec. 9, 2004. Joe Raedle/Getty Images

A Mosman Municipal Council spokeswoman told The Epoch Times that they did not own the nativity scene as Dom Lopez had made the donation to Interchurch Council.

Further, they said the blessing of the crib had never been considered a designated community event by the council and no date for a blessing had been set this year after it was indefinitely cancelled in 2019 for various reasons.

Traditional Christian Events No Longer Welcome on Council Property

The spokeswoman said that after consulting with St. Clement’s Church, it had been decided that a church or church gathering would be an appropriate setting to host a blessing of the crib event.

“Mosman Council loves Christmas, and our mayor will be attending the council-designated community event Carols by Candlelight on Dec. 17, which we support free of charge, and at which we anticipate the blessing of the crib will be held,” she said.

“We are also running our annual Christmas decoration competition for businesses and Christmas gift appeal for disadvantaged families; we will be displaying Christmas banners, trees, and decorations around Mosman and holding a popular Christmas night market as well as a range of other Christmas events.”

Reverend Michael Crichton of St. Clement’s church said he had met with council representatives to find a middle ground.

“It’s a shame there won’t be a nativity scene on Council property this year, and it seems like they don’t want us on their patch anymore,” he told the Mosman Collective.

“But, in this day and age, that’s how things are headed with religion.”

The council representative allegedly told Chrichton that the council was secular and holding religious events on council property would be inappropriate.

“They see the Blessing of the Crib ceremony as something that was never sanctioned,” he said.

“It’s important to note that Council is not against the Christian faith; they just don’t want the Nativity Scene in their building.”

Chrichton hopes St Clement’s church can start a new tradition of hosting the nativity ceremony and accepted the council’s decision to move the event elsewhere.