The Christmas Creche: St. Francis' Nativity Scene

Inside and outside of many homes and churches everywhere Christmas creches are being assembled, lit, and displayed. This tradition is attributed to St Francis of Assisi who created the "second" live Nativity, the first being the original.

Visiting the small mountain town of Crecio, Italy during Christmas of 1223, St Francis ran into a logistical problem. The small Franciscan hermitage in the town was too small to Midnight Mass. So he set up an altar in a niche in a rock at the town square. But this would be no ordinary Midnight Mass...

St. Bonaventure (d. 1274) tells the story in his "Life of St. Francis of Assisi":

"It happened in the third year before his death, that in order to excite the inhabitants of Grecio to commemorate the nativity of the Infant Jesus with great devotion, [St. Francis] determined to keep it with all possible solemnity; and lest he should be accused of lightness or novelty, he asked and obtained the permission of the sovereign Pontiff. Then he 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. The man of God [St. 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. A certain valiant and veracious soldier, Master John of Grecio, who, for the love of Christ, had left the warfare of this world, and become a dear friend of this holy man, affirmed that he beheld an Infant marvelously beautiful, sleeping in the manger, Whom the blessed Father Francis embraced with both his arms, as if he would awake Him from sleep. This vision of the devout soldier is credible, not only by reason of the sanctity of him that saw it, but by reason of the miracles which afterwards confirmed its truth. For example of Francis, if it be considered by the world, is doubtless sufficient to excite all hearts which are negligent in the faith of Christ; and the hay of that manger, being preserved by the people, miraculously cured all diseases of cattle, and many other pestilences; God thus in all things glorifying his servant, and witnessing to the great efficacy of his holy prayers by manifest prodigies and miracles."

The yearly retelling of the Christmas story brings to mind the great Mystery of God...that He would be born of flesh and blood to die for our sins. And like St. Francis, we should behold this Christmas display with piety, devotion, and joy as the Christmas Creche marks the beginning of our eternal life with God.

Glory to God in the highest and goodwill to all men.

Pax et bonum