SASKATOON -- The Dormition Ukrainian Catholic Parish in Sutherland is missing a key component of its outdoor nativity scene.

"Someone was coming out of church and said, 'Jesus is gone. He has been taken away from the manger,'" Father Andre Lalach told CTV News.

That was Christmas Eve. There was no snow until Christmas Day, so there were no footprints to help solve the case.

The display was made more than 10 years ago and has been put up in front of the church for the past eight years.

Lalach's son, Roman, and Julius Turta work hard to set it up.

"It's a real labour of love because they spend the whole day with the ground being frozen and they have to stick everything into the ground."

Whoever took baby Jesus had to work hard to get it out of the ground, Lalach said.

"I'm thinking pastorally that someone really needed Jesus in their life at Christmas this year. So perhaps that's the bright side of this story is that someone who really needed Jesus, got him."

The theft has been reported to police, but Lalach is asking around for someone to make a new baby Jesus and complete the display once again.