Head to Greccio, the birthplace of nativity scenes

It was St. Francis of Assisi himself that came up with the idea

According to the story, Jesus Christ was born in Bethlehem, a scene retold and recreated in countless nativity scenes around the world which vary in their sizes and creative designs. Where did the tradition of making such nativity scenes come from, though?

Apparently, it was no other than the renowned Italian Medieval mystic St. Francis of Assisi who created the first nativity scene as a way of emphasizing what Christmas is all about. It was his way of bringing attention to the suffering and innocence of baby Jesus, who came to life in the humblest of conditions.

What’s even more amazing is that we know where he organized these first nativity scenes. It happened at a cave near the picturesque hilltop town of Greccio in the Region of Lazio, which the founder of the Franciscan order had converted into one of his many hermitages during his life filled with travels.

A place for pilgrimage and contemplation

The cave, which is nowadays a shrine located in a convent that sprung up after the saint’s death, is regularly visited by pilgrims and tourists. It was there that reportedly the first nativity scene took place in 1223. St. Francis of Assisi, however, organized it as a theatrical performance of sorts with people enacting the various characters in the story.

St. Bonaventure, a biographer of St. Francis of Assisi, wrote about the event like this: “Then Francis prepared a manger, and brought hay, and an ox and an ass to the place appointed. The brethren were summoned, the people ran together, the forest resounded with their voices, and that venerable night was made glorious by many and brilliant lights and sonorous psalms of praise. Francis stood before the manger, full of devotion and piety, bathed in tears and radiant with joy; the Holy Gospel was chanted by Francis, the Levite of Christ. Then he preached to the people around the nativity of the poor King; and being unable to utter His name for the tenderness of His love, He called Him the Babe of Bethlehem.”

St. Bonaventure was also behind the founding of the monastery that houses the shrine. Still today, the first-ever living nativity scene is re-enacted every year late on Christmas Eve and on the following six nights, the same way as it was in 1223. It is now, however, also supplanted by other scenes explaining the whole story of St Francis' involvement.

Today a grandstand guarantees the contemporary and warmly-dressed visitor can get a good view of the proceedings under the lit-up majestic cliffs to which the medieval monastery clings.