Bethlehem at Christmas. This is how these days are lived in the land where Jesus was born.In heaven the Bethlehem is madeIt was in the town of Greccio, Italy, known for being the birthplace of the first nativity scene in history. A tradition that spread all over the world, and that is loved and appreciated, and is the best known tradition of Christmas.
According to tradition, a Greek family founded the town of Greccio and settled there, hence the origin of the name Greccio-Greek in Italian. The medieval town dates back to the 10th and 11th centuries and is located in the Italian Apennines, a picturesque town perched atop one of the hills overlooking the Sacred Valley.
In 1223, St. Francis of Assisi, a young hermit, had just returned home from Holy Land and strolled through Greccio, being impressed by its beauty, which reminded him of the holy city of Bethlehem. In an interview, Father Domenico, a friar minor, shared, "Francis had a dream: to relive with his own eyes what the newborn Jesus had suffered for humanity, and this dream came true on Christmas Eve 1223." He would enlist the help of his friend Giovanni de Greccio, the Velita, owner of the grottoes. He needed a stone, which is still there, hay, an ox, a donkey and an altar.
St. Francis, then a deacon, celebrated Christmas Eve Mass, and many gathered to see the first nativity scene. During the celebration, Giovanni Velita and others had a vision: they saw a baby waking from a long sleep on the stone. Father Domenico says that the baby smiled at Francis, and Francis embraced the child and adored him.
"The one in Greccio was a rather atypical nativity scene, a bit different from what we can find now in Italian families and all over the world; it is the only one without the Virgin Mary and Joseph...," noted the former mayor of Greccio, Antonio Rosati.
Universal tradition
Every year, the inhabitants relive those historic moments with pride because "they are part of our history, of our heart and also of the iconographic heritage, which is universal... The Nativity is something that unites us, not divides us, and so, also Greccio unites and does not divide," said Mayor Rosati in an interview.
Every Christmas, the creation of a nativity scene is a tradition dear to the hearts of many Catholic families; it is a cherished tradition that is passed on, and memories are created as parents, children and relatives buy new figures and decide where to place them. Still, the former deputy mayor of Greccio, Federico Giovanelli, said, "It's all very moving" and recalled, "If we all create our crib today, it's because Francis created the first one here that night."
When St. Francis preached and read the Gospel on Christmas Eve, an eyewitness reported, "A miracle occurred that night." Subsequently, other miracles were cited during that period. It is said that those who touched the straw of the manger where the Child Jesus appeared received healings, as did women with hard labor and sick animals.
Pope Francis and the Nativity Scene
Pope Francis chose his name in honor of the saint who created the first crib so many years ago. He made two visits to the shrine of the Greccio wayside shrine in 2017 and 2019, when he signed an apostolic letter, "Admirabile Signum". In it he wrote:
"Why does the Christmas crib arouse so much admiration and move us so deeply? First of all, because it shows the tender love of God: the Creator of the universe stoops down to take on our littleness. The gift of life, in all its mystery, becomes even more marvelous when we realize that Mary's Son is the source and sustenance of all life. In Jesus, the Father has given us a brother who comes to seek us out when we are confused or lost, a loyal friend always at our side. He has given us his Son who forgives us and frees us from our sins".
He also encouraged families to keep this tradition alive in their homes and said his hope is "that this custom will never be lost". In many homes it is a celebrated and eagerly awaited practice. They compete around the world to have the "best" nativity scene. Many neighborhoods, such as Dyker Heights in Brooklyn, New York, annually see and welcome tourists from around the world who come to see their famous nativity scenes and Christmas displays in their backyards.
The Nativity Scene at the Vatican
While in the first Nativity Scene neither our Blessed Mother Mary nor St. Joseph appeared, today the Holy Family is present, and also St. Francis of Assisi, who is standing next to the manger, as we saw in the Vatican when this year's Nativity Scene was inaugurated.
This year St. Francis of Assisi was honored. Pope Francis addressed the communities that donated the nativity scene and Christmas tree and said that focusing on any nativity scene should "awaken in us the nostalgia of silence and prayer, in our often hectic daily lives."
