July 10, 2025
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Breakfast canceled, but all 16 Christ paintings will be going up in Washington Square in Ottawa

Volunteers invited to help with installment

By Shaw Local News Network

A single painting depicting the birth of Jesus Christ was displayed during the 2020 Christmas season in Washington Square in downtown Ottawa. Traditionally, 16 paintings depicting Jesus's life are put on display in the park. This season, all of the paintings will again be on display. (Annette Barr)

Sixteen paintings of the birth, life and ministry of Jesus Christ will be put on display 2 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 9, at Washington Square in Ottawa.

The installment usually takes place in the morning following a breakfast. There will be no breakfast meeting this year because of various scheduling challenges, organizers said.

Volunteers are invited to show up and help, but only if they are able to assist with the installment.

Meet on the west side of Washington Square to begin and bring appropriate tools, including stepladders, wrenches, etc. Volunteers are asked to wear a mask.

Created in 1956 by the Ottawa Retail Merchants’ Association to keep Christ in Christmas, the 4-foot, by 7-foot paintings depict Jesus’ birth, life and ministry, each painting accompanied by a Scripture verse. One of the 16 paintings was displayed last year as a precautionary measure during the pandemic.

The Ottawa Freedom Association has erected the paintings each year since 1992 after winning a lengthy court battle, except last year when the majority of the paintings were left in storage because of the pandemic.