St. Mary’s Park Christmas tree to feature custom ornaments

Maura Baker

Staff Writer

In preparation for the 2024 Bambinelli Blessing and Christmas Tree Lighting, parishes, schools and institutions from across the Diocese of Covington were invited to design ornaments to be displayed on the Christmas tree to be lit in St. Mary’s Park, Covington, on the night of the Bambinelli. Ornaments spoke to the mission, culture and history of these diocesan facilities — some examples provided as we prepare for the Bambinelli and the coming of Jesus at Christmas.

(left) The ornament by Thomas More University, Crestview Hills, was hand-painted by student Kendra Yurt, class of 2026. Amidst the gold patterns is an image of the belltower of the campus’s Mary, Seat of Wisdom chapel.

(center) St. Patrick school, Maysville, features a Celtic “trinity knot” over a green background — representing the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. This imagery ties to the school and connects to the parish’s Irish heritage, as well as to its patron, St. Patrick, who is also the patron saint of Ireland.

(right) The red ornament designed by Our Savior parish, Covington, is decorated with repeating designs in Pan-African colors black, gold, white and green. These designs represent and point to the parish’s black and African American history