Animals first start to appear in religious ... have all been placed in separate barbed-wire cages in their outdoor Nativity scene. These displays, which call attention to the plight of immigrants ...

This article about the Nativity is republished here with permission from The Conversation. This content is shared here because the topic may interest Snopes readers; it does not, however ...

In fact, animals aren't used at all. People, however, do dress the parts — Mary, Joseph, the wise men, etc. The volunteers stand shivering at a manger on the church lawn in a silent tribute to ...

By Nick Squires 20 November 2012 • 7:32pm The inclusion of domestic animals in the Nativity scene may have been inspired by pre-Christian traditions Credit: Photo: ALAMY As churches and families ...