Holy cow! Bovine escapes from nativity scene

New York— -- A cow created a not-so-silent night in Philadelphia this week.

The cow, nicknamed “Stormy,” escaped not once, but twice from a living nativity scene at the Old First Reformed United Church of Christ in Philadelphia.

Stormy took off around 2:30 a.m. Wednesday morning and hoofed it to the highway.

Philadelphia police were able to box in Stormy with their cars and tie a rope around her neck. She was guided off the highway and back to the nativity scene.

But just a few hours later police tweeted that the cow had escaped again.

According to ABC News affiliate WPVI, Reverend Michael Caine of Old First Reformed UCC had tried to stop the 1,500 pound bovine when she made her second escape, but was unsuccessful.

Stormy then headed toward the upper level of a nearby parking garage, where her handlers and police were able to capture her again. According to WPVI, one of the state troopers who responded knew how to handle the situation because he owns a cattle ranch.

Stormy was returned for a second time to her pen in the church’s nativity scene, which also includes two sheep and two donkeys.

Old First Reformed UCC said in a statement that its “crèche was vandalized. The gate was opened and Stormy, the cow, escaped onto the south bound ramp of I-95.”

People have recently expressed concern over the animals’ welfare in the nativity scene, Caine told WPVI.

“She's not cold. She's been shown since she's a baby. She's not unnerved by the people or the city's commotion,” according to a Facebook post from the church. “Life in a barn isn't always easy.”

Caine told WPVI that the church has put on the nativity scene display since 1973.