Did you know that 2023 marks 800 years since the introduction of the Nativity scene by St. Francis in 1223? In honor of this blessed anniversary, the Diocese of St. Petersburg put a unique spin on their annual office Christmas Decorating Competition! Different departments from across the Pastoral Center and SpiritFM created their own nativity scenes and submitted for consideration in a number of categories, including Number of Scenes, Most Traditional, Most Modern, Smallest, Largest, Visual Impact, Most Interactive, Most Edible, and more!
Each year, the Diocese invites students from a local Catholic high school to visit the office and act as judges for the competition, giving them rankings in each category that range from 1 ("Sorry, Charlie") to 5 ("Knock-Your-Socks-Off Outstanding"). This year, Clearwater Central Catholic was invited by Dr. Lois Locey to participate in this fun and festive event, and we sent four student ambassadors to flex their Nativity knowledge and bestow top scores to the best Yuletide decor!
See below for photos!