140 Plus Nativities At St. Patrick's In Railton

Dec 18, 2013

On December 8 it did not take long for the 24 figurines of the baby Jesus that Tony Vella made and brought with him to the Nativity Sunday display and celebration at Saint Patrick's Church in Railton to disappear into eager, waiting young hands. Vella, who hails from Malta, moved to Kingston with his wife Connie nine years ago, and his passion for creating nativities - a passion that began when he was just a young boy in Malta - continues to inspire and motivate him. Vella has a personal collection of over 300 nativity scenes of his own and he also makes and designs his own nativities, many of which he gifts to churches in the area.

This year Vella was also invited to design a student Keepsake Nativity Kit Project for the Algonquin and Lakeshore Catholic District School Board, which students assemble and paint themselves. The kit includes simple wood cutouts and paper patterns that the children are invited to assemble either at school or at home with a family member. They are invited to decorate the scene as they like and can either keep it for themselves or give it as gift. Vella hopes to bring an expanded version of the project to high school students as well. To date, the project has been brought to over 600 students in nine schools across the Algonquin and Lakeshore Catholic District School Board.

Vella learned how to make nativities as a youngster from his uncle in Malta. He is a former contractor who is now retired, and he still spends hours restoring, collecting and working on his collection. This year a selection from his own personal collection was shown to the public for the first time at the Salvation Army's Kingston Citadel. One of his most prized scenes is one that he began building and assembling in 1967, and on which he still works to this day.

Vella, who is soft spoken with a warm smile and a twinkle in his eye, obviously believes that offering up his talents as a builder and his passion as a Catholic is one way that he can serve his community. And judging by the speed that his small baby Jesus tokens were taken up by the youngsters at St. Patrick's in Railton, his passions are not going unnoticed.

Photo-2136- master nativity scene maker Tony Vella at Saint Patrick's Catholic church in Railton