At Christmas season, Iowa man aims for world record for largest Nativity scenes collection
Nativity scenes, displayed in a bank, are all different sizes and come from 100 countries
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}One Iowa man who is attempting to set a world record for the largest collection of Nativity scenes has his collection on display at a bank in Washington, Iowa.
More than 2,500 Nativity scenes belonging to Michael Zahs are currently available for viewing at the Hills Bank's Washington location, said local media outlet KCRG.
The display will run until January 2023.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"The bank’s happy to have it, it’s definitely unique and we look forward to having people in to look at it," Janelle Johnson, vice president at the bank who helped put up the display, told Fox News Digital via email.
"It's a great way to bring joy to folks in our community," she added.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The display took six weeks to set up, Zahs told KCRG, noting that he began collecting Nativity scenes in the 1950s.
Michael Zahs has collected more than 2,500 Nativity sets from 100 different countries. His sets are now on display in Washington, Iowa. (Lauren Waldschmidt)
The scenes come from more than 100 different countries, he told that outlet.
Many of them are made by hand.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Zahs enjoys the way each scene contains different details relevant to the story of the birth of Jesus Christ, he also said.
"I like to have people come and look at the details," he said to KCRG. "You can look at the exhibit for the scripture part of it, you can look at it for the materials, the artwork."
Manuel Jacinto in Santa Maria da Feira, Portugal, set a record for "most mechanical figures in a Nativity scene" on Nov. 10, 2013.
"Some of them are very historical," he added.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The current record for the largest collection of Nativity sets is 1,802, according to the Guinness World Records website.
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That record was set on March 14, 2009, by Andrea Andrighetti.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The entry for the record notes that the sets are all currently at the Museo dei Sogni e Della Memoria located in Feltre, a town in northern Italy.
If Zahs were to fall short in his attempt at a record, there are a few other Nativity-related records to chase.
The figure of Joseph, right, stood over 59 feet tall. (Jose Jordan/AFP via Getty Images)
The record for "largest Nativity scene figurines" was set by the Ayuntamiento de Alicante (Alicante City Hall) in Alicante, Spain, on Dec. 1, 2020.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}That Nativity scene featured a figurine of Joseph, which stood at 59 feet, 2.6 inches, alongside a figurine of Mary that was 34 feet, 8.9 inches tall.
Oasis Church in Pembroke Pines, Florida, set a world record on Dec. 11, 2011, for the "largest display of Nativity sets."
The infant Jesus was 13 feet, 4.6 inches long — and was depicted in the manger.
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}In Portugal is another Guinness-certified world record.
Manuel Jacinto in Santa Maria da Feira, Portugal, set the record for "most mechanical figures in a Nativity scene" for Nov. 10, 2013.
Many of Zahs' Nativity scenes reflect the local culture of the artisan. This one pictured here is from Mexico and features Aztec art. (Lauren Waldschmidt)
Jacinto, an artist, creates an annual Nativity display each year that the public can view from November to March.
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While the display includes "many more mechanical figures of different sizes, shapes and era," Guinness only counted the 162 figures that were directly related to the Nativity — still a very impressive number.
Many of the Nativity scenes in Zahs' collection are handmade. (Lauren Waldschmidt)
Oasis Church in Pembroke Pines, Florida, set the world record for the "largest display of Nativity sets" on Dec. 11, 2011.
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A record 2,150 unique Nativity sets — which belonged to church members — were put on display at the church for the Christmas season, the Guinness World Records site says.
This Vietnamese Nativity scene in Michael Zahs' collection of sets depicts Jesus, Mary and Joseph. (Lauren Waldschmidt)
And while most Nativity sets feature only Jesus, Mary and Joseph — with possibly an angel, shepherd or some other figure — the world record for the "most living figures in a Nativity scene" is 2,101.
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The City Government of San Jose del Monte, located in Bulacan, Philippines, set that record on Dec. 20, 2019.
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The majority of the "living figures" in the Nativity scene "were onlookers around the barn," says the Guinness World Records website.