In December, friends, neighbours, and community leaders in three European cities joined members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for special cinematic screenings of The Christ Child: A Nativity Story.
These cinematic experiences brought members of the community together for a unique Christmas celebration, focussed on the birth and life of Jesus Christ.
The Christ Child is an 18-minute film directed by John Foss and offers a strikingly authentic portrayal of the Nativity. Presented entirely in Aramaic without subtitles, it relies on powerful visual storytelling and meticulous biblical detail to convey the sacred narrative.
These special screenings took place inside meetinghouses of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Edinburgh, Manchester, and Lisbon, where guests experienced the film on large, purpose-built cinema screens with immersive surround sound. Prior to and following the screenings, each city hosted its own festive cultural programme featuring choir performances, live music, carol singing, and readings from The Bible.
A Feeling of Peace and an Answered Prayer
For Iago de Lima Souza Silva, a friend of the Church who joined the screening in Lisbon, the experience of seeing the film for the first time left a deep spiritual impression. “What I felt was peace and the spirit of the Christ Child… who brought all of us here on Earth, salvation and the opportunity to be reborn again in His Spirit… I felt a lot of gratitude, happiness, and a lot of peace.” he said.
Jago shared that the peace he felt during the screening echoed a personal experience he had some months ago. “In my prayers, there was a time when I was troubled in my life, feeling lost… and questioning if Jesus really existed” he recalled. “I opened my heart and asked Him to give me a sign, an answer. One day, I was reading the Bible and trying to find an answer to something, and I went to a place to be alone while I read. Meanwhile a person I had never seen before in my life came by selling candy. I bought some to help the person and they asked what I was [reading]... that person spoke to me about God for about half an hour [and] about something I had specifically asked for in prayer. It was a person who I had never met before and whom I never saw again. I felt it was an answer from God… After the person left, I felt a great peace that resembles the peace I felt today when I saw the film”.
| Temple Square is always beautiful in the springtime. Gardeners work to prepare the ground for General Conference. © 2012 Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved. | 1 / 2 |
Prior to the screening events, show times and information about The Christ Child were advertised on eye-catching billboards in each city, as well as on social media, helping to create excitement and draw communities together for this unique Christmas celebration.
Kevin Fletcher, who attended the screening event in Manchester, said:
“Let me first mention about the quality of the sound and films, it was like being at the movies but accompanied by the spirit. The music and narration that was also provided as part of the event was outstanding and touched all those who were present. The warmth, the intimacy of the whole experience was down to how the spirit touched each of us as we were reminded about the true meaning of Christmas. It would be great to see this event held again next Christmas!”
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| Temple Square is always beautiful in the springtime. Gardeners work to prepare the ground for General Conference. © 2012 Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved. | 1 / 2 |
Reflecting on her experience, Louise McBeath from Edinburgh, commented:
“The Christ Child screening was a truly special and uplifting event that brought people together to reflect on the birth and life of Christ. It created a beautiful sense of community, allowing everyone in attendance to feel the warmth, love, and hope of the gospel message”.
| Temple Square is always beautiful in the springtime. Gardeners work to prepare the ground for General Conference. © 2012 Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved. | 1 / 2 |
Drawing Strength and Lessons Learned from The Nativity
For Diana Duarte, a young mother from Lisbon, the cinematic screening carried a deeply personal resonance. “We had our baby not long ago, so it’s interesting to now see the perspective of Christ’s family when He was born,” she shared.
“I often think about Mary now and wonder, how did she overcome all of that? …This year I put myself more in her shoes… The story of Christ begins with a family and two parents who try their best and strive to ensure that their baby is born in the best possible conditions. So, I think that’s the main story of Christmas. It all starts with the family, in family harmony.”
Across Europe, members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints gathered with friends and neighbours on Sunday 21 December, for a special Christmas worship service.
Following the event in Lisbon, Pedro Duarte, extended a heartfelt invitation:
“I invited everyone to attend the Christmas sacrament meeting on December 21st. It is a very special meeting, where we will talk about Him, sing songs about Him, and it is also a time for us to start again, to try once more to change the focus to Christ in our lives. Everyone is invited. Children, babies, church members, non-church members, families, neighbours, friends, everyone is invited to worship Jesus Christ.”
