A Methodist church in Texas, in the United States, decided this year to reinterpret the traditional Christmas nativity scene with a message of strong social and political content. The scene depicts Mary and Joseph behind bars similar to those of an immigrant detention center, while the figure of the baby Jesus is absent. The display, installed outside the church, seeks to draw attention to the situation faced by thousands of migrants in the country. Banners with messages such as “Holy is the refugee” and “Saints are the singled out and persecuted” were placed around the biblical figures. The congregation explained the meaning of the display through a post on its official Facebook page, where it described the nativity scene as a “prayer in the form of a family.” The goal, they stated, is not to provoke, but to invite reflection from a Christian perspective.

“This year we placed the Holy Family in a space where many people are sleeping right now: tarps, fences, rough wire. Not to shock, but to express the truth,” stated the message shared by the Texas Methodist Church on social media.

A Parallel with the Reality of Migration

The post concludes with a reflection that connects the biblical story to the present day. "If love came into the world through a family without space, then every homeless neighbor matters. Every migrant matters. Every family seeking safety matters," the text shared by the congregation expresses.