Ottawa Christ paintings to go up Dec. 2

16 paintings depict the life of Christ, put on display annually during Christmas season

Many volunteers were on hand Saturday, Dec. 3, 2022, to erect 16 large paintings of the life of Jesus Christ in Ottawa's Washington Square. — Many volunteers take part in the annual effort to put up the 16 paintings that depict the life of Christ in Washington Square in Ottawa. The paintings will be put up this year on Saturday, Dec. 2. (Tom Sistak for Shaw Media)

November 20, 2023 at 5:50 am CST

The 16 paintings of the life of Christ will go up Saturday, Dec. 2, at Washington Square in Ottawa.

The day will begin with a breakfast at 6:30 a.m. at Ottawa First Presbyterian Church, 114 E. Jefferson St., followed by the erecting of the paintings at 8 a.m. There will be Christmas carols at 9 a.m. at Jeremiah Joe Coffee, 807 La Salle St.

Created in 1956 by the Ottawa Retail Merchants Association to keep Christ in Christmas, the 4-foot-7 paintings depict Jesus’s birth, life and ministry, each painting accompanied by a Scripture verse.

The Ottawa Freedom Association has erected the paintings each year since 1992 after winning a lengthy court battle.