LOS ANGELES, Calif. ­- On Monday, more than 100 churches nationwide will host simultaneous advance screenings of New Line Cinema’s “The Nativity Story” in a unique event expected to draw more than 50,000 churchgoers eager to see the true story of Christmas.

“The anticipation for the release of ‘The Nativity Story’ within the Christian community is gaining momentum, and it has allowed us to put together this unique event,” says Rolf Mittweg, New Line’s President and COO of Worldwide Distribution and Marketing. “Similar to the world premiere at the Vatican, the scope of this event speaks volumes about the way people are embracing the film.”

The Nov. 27th screenings of “The Nativity Story,” which will take place in nearly every major market in the U.S., have drawn participation from a cross-section of Christian denominations, including numerous Catholic Archdioceses, Evangelical megachurches, and Mainline Protestant congregations among others.

“For 50,000 Christians to come together at the same time to screen ‘The Nativity Story’ is a testament to the extraordinary power of this film and to the timeless message it conveys,” says Paul Braoudakis, communications director for Willow Creek Church, one of the largest Protestant churches in the country and a participant in the event.

Mark Crow, Senior Pastor at the Victory Church in Oklahoma City, says, “In this season of unrelenting commercialism, it’s refreshing to have a film like ‘The Nativity Story’ to remind us all what Christmas is really about. It’s our intention to use this screening to share the real story of Joseph and Mary’s journey with people in our community.”

Mother Assumpta, Foundress of the Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist in Detroit, adds, “Gathering Catholics and all people together across the country on the same night to view ‘The Nativity Story’ is a wonderful way to proclaim that now, more than ever, mankind thirsts for the unconditional love of God in a world of chaos and noise. The premiere of this movie is perfectly timed to help us focus on what is most important inthe weeks of Advent that lead up to Christmas.”

“The Nativity Story” chronicles the arduous journey of two people, Mary andJoseph, a miraculous pregnancy, and the history-defining birth of Jesus. This dramatic and compelling story comes to life in a major motion picture starring Academy Award(R) nominee Keisha Castle-Hughes (“Whale Rider”) as Mary, Oscar Isaac (upcoming “Guerrilla”) as Joseph, and Academy Award(R) nominee Shohreh Aghdashloo (“House of Sand and Fog”) as Elizabeth, the mother of John the Baptist. “The Nativity Story” is directed by Catherine Hardwicke (“Thirteen,” “Lords of Dogtown”) from a screenplay by Mike Rich (“The Rookie,” “Finding Forrester”).