Saint Olaf students travel around the world for Christmas

IC photo by Christine Young

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Saint Nick (back center) visits Saint Lucia (right), and the second- and fifth-grade students in Italy who sing ?Buon Natale.? Saint Lucia (meaning light) is famous for helping the poor even in the dark.

BOUNTIFUL - A standing-room only audience of parents, grandparents and friends traveled around the world with Saint Olaf School students Dec. 18.

Saint Olaf students in pre-kindergarten through eighth grade performed their second annual Christmas pageant "Christmas Around the World." For the first time, middle school students played the school's new hand chimes to accompany Radu Noaghiu, Saint Olaf music director, who accompanied on the piano.

The show opened as the Christmas tree was lighted. Saint Nick, played by eighth-grade student Jonathan Rodriguez, who said, "Ho, ho, ho, it's beginning to feel a lot like Christmas with all of you here. I am known for bringing Christmas around the world, as you will see here today."

Saint Nick traveled to Germany to visit with Saint Adelaide. There the children gave Saint Nick a gingerbread house.

Saint Nick then visited France, where the children gave him a king cake.

In Italy the children gave Saint Nick a Nativity scene. There, Saint Nick spoke with Saint Lucia, who traveled to Italy from Sweden.

Saint Nick went on to Mexico and was accompanied by Saint Juan Diego, a peasant to whom Our Lady of Guadalupe appeared in 1531. In Mexico the children gave Saint Nick a lantern for his sleigh.

Saint Nick finally visited Norway to speak with Saint Olaf, the patron saint of the school.

"We have been going around the world today, now we are going to go back in time to the very first Christmas," said Saint Nick.

The eighth-grade students presented the Nativity.