At the Incarnation monastery itself in Madrid, its founder and prioress-for-life Mariana of Saint Joseph (1568-1638) utilized nativity scenes to inspire the genuine spirit of Christmas in her nuns. This was affirmed years later by Sor Antonia of Saint Joseph when, at the canonization process of the venerable Mother, she declared:
“One Christmas day, Mother Mariana made us go for recreation to a chapel where the nativity scene was displayed and there made us recite the hymn: Jesus, crown of virgins and many things that started with “Jesus”. And when the sisters were at recreation, she told each one to say a couplet or something to the Child Jesus. They obeyed, and I don’t remember any couplet except one that says:
“God-Child, fire among straws
my heart set alight.
For to you it isn’t impossible
a bad coal to ignite
“And one New Year’s Eve, while we were gathered for the “draw of the saints”, if my memory serves me right, the Child Jesus was in the room of Mother, and the next day it was brought to each sister’s room and Mother told us to say something to the Child Jesus. And one said:
Confidence can well win
the fight against fear.
For the Son of God
to bail us out shed his blood