People who work in the building (like me) visit the exhibit out of curiousity during lunch break and before leaving for home, but the crowd that attends the daily evening mass are made up of real devotees who come to the place in droves, bringing their kids along.
You'll find in the exhibit a combination of the old and new, big and small, the conservative and contemporary ... including statues dressed up in uniforms similar to what its owners wear to work (policeman, baker, tailor, judge, etc.).
Some are dressed so extravagantly one wonders if they're entering a fashion show. Coincidentally, fashion designer Ben Farrales is one of the congregation's founders.
The exhibit both inspires and appalls. It's inspiring because of the beauty of some pieces and seeing the labor of love invested to make the sets look beautiful. It is appalling when you realize fellow Catholics worship these things ... which brings home the meaning of idolatry. Study in a Catholic school like I do and you'll be taught it's wrong. Which raises the question on why parish priests encourage such behavior.
Anyway, appreciate the art the same way a Catholic would appreciate the art of a statue of Buddha (oh wait, I think some confused Catholics think Buddhas are lucky...which is just a tad short of worshipping them too).
Pictures from the Lobby and the Banking Hall where the daily mass is held:
Pictures from the Long Gallery:
I didn't take pictures of everything on display. You may find more and different pictures at Wetsky's site:
http://wetoy.multiply.com/photos/album/33/Sto._Nino_Exhibit_at_PNB
If I hadn't been looking up the event on Google, I wouldn't know that the head of the Group where our backroom belongs to has a Multiply site.
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