A Portland Church is opening its doors on Christmas Day to dozens of newly-arrived asylum seekers, mostly from the African countries of Angola and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

"It ties perfectly in with the Christmas story of Mary and Joseph, and there's no room at the inn," says Rev. Benjamin Shambaugh. "But we have room."

Dean Shambaugh is dean at the Cathedral Church of St. Luke, seat of the Episcopal Diocese of Maine. He says Portland's new mayor, Kate Snyder, contacted the church after an influx of more than 150 asylum seekers arrived in the city in the last month.

They filled overnight emergency shelters to capacity. But while the new arrivals have been sheltered and fed overnight, the city has struggled to find day-time space for as many as 40 of them.

Dean Shambaugh says that volunteers quickly stepped up to provide staffing needed to provide warm day-time quarters for them in the church.

"The idea that Mary, Joseph and Jesus became refugees themselves helps us live in the story also," Dean Shambaugh says. "So the idea [is] that when we meet or welcome a refugee we're welcoming Jesus himself."

The church will be open for the recent immigrants starting at 8 a.m. on Christmas Day. Dean Shambaugh says the goal is to provide them day-time shelter until they find permanent housing.