The recent controversy surrounding the removal of a keffiyeh-swaddled baby Jesus from the Vatican’s Nativity scene has sparked a debate about the portrayal of the Holy Family in art. Throughout history, artists have depicted the Nativity in various contexts, reflecting the social and political issues of their time.

In early Christian paintings, the Holy Family was often shown in Bethlehem, a place associated with marginalized and diasporic peoples. Byzantine artists depicted Jesus in a Cave of the Nativity, while Renaissance and Baroque artists placed the scene among Greco-Roman ruins, symbolizing the overturning of religious and political systems.

Over the centuries, the Magis and shepherds in the Nativity scene have been reimagined in times of war and genocide. During World War I, soldiers were depicted as shepherds, and in World War II, Polish artist Stanisław Przespolewski portrayed Jesus, Mary, and Joseph in traditional Polish costumes.

In more recent times, artists have created politically charged Nativity scenes to address current issues. Banksy unveiled a Nativity scene in Bethlehem with the Holy Family beside the West Bank separation barrier. California’s Claremont United Methodist Church displayed statues of the Holy Family in metal cages, representing families separated in detention centers. Artist Kelly Latimore’s “Tent City Nativity” depicted Jesus, Mary, and Joseph in an unhoused tent community.

The Vatican has also displayed powerful Nativity scenes, including one with bomb shrapnel embedded in a statue. These scenes serve as a reminder of the ongoing conflicts and injustices in the world.

Pope Francis’s recent plea for peace in Gaza echoes the message of many of these Nativity scenes, calling for an end to violence and a message of hope and peace. These artistic representations continue to provoke thought and reflection on the true meaning of Christmas in a world plagued by conflict and division.