Bambinelli Sunday Celebrated At Both OLA and SMG

LYNNFIELD – On Sunday, Dec. 17, St. Maria Goretti Parish and Our Lady of the Assumption Parish celebrated “Bambinelli Sunday.”

This tradition was begun by Pope St. John Paul II and is celebrated on the Third Sunday of Advent, also called Gaudete (“Rejoice”) Sunday. He invited people to come to St. Peter’s Square in Rome and bring their “bambinelli” or Baby Jesus figurines from their home crèches and nativity scenes. Then, he would bless them and people would take them home and wrap them. This becomes the first present to be opened on Christmas day to remind the whole family that the gift of the birth of Christ is the core of Christmas.

Photos by Marie Lagman; Father Tony Luongo (Lynnfield Catholic Collaborative's Parochial Vicar) blesses the Baby Jesus figurines with holy water at St. Maria Goretti Church; Young and young-at-heart at Our Lady of the Assumption Church hold up their "bambinelli" for blessing; This Baby Jesus figurine will not be put into its nativity scene until Christmas morning as a sign of the true gift of Christmas.