Nativity Scene or Crèche Displaying a crèche, or a representation of Mary, Joseph, shepherds, angels, the Magi, and animals around the crib of the infant Jesus in a crib in a Bethlehem stable, is a popular tradition that originated in 1223 by St. Francis of Assisi. In that year, St. Francis found a niche in the rock near the town square of Grecio, Italy, to set up an altar to celebrate Midnight Mass because the Franciscan hermitage would be too small to hold all the people who would be attending this Christmas Mass. It is said that St. Francis was also trying to combat the secular materialism of gift-giving and refocus the emphasis of Christmas on the worship of Christ. According to St. Bonaventure, St. Francis wanted to “…excite the inhabitants of Grecio to commemorate the nativity of the Infant Jesus with great devotion,” so he prepared a manger complete with hay (which later had miraculous properties), an ox, and an ass. This living Nativity scene not only moved the congregation with love and devotion, but St. Francis himself was moved to tears during the Mass. St. Bonaventure continues, “The man of God 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.” Eventually, statues replaced humans and animals as the practice of erecting a crèche, or nativity scene, grew in popularity and spread to other Catholic countries. A crèche could be set up in churches, homes, town squares, and other venues. Living nativity scenes, or Christmas pageants, like the one originally enacted in 1223, are still performed in churches and Christian schools to help us remember “the reason for the season”. Not much has changed since St. Francis’s time. In our society, we are still easily distracted by shopping, gift-giving, and social engagements of the Christmas season. This Christmas, display a crèche in your own home to help you remember what this season is really about – the adoration of the Child King who humbly came to save us from sin and death.
St. Bonaventure. Life of St. Francis of Assisi.