St. Francis and the
Christmas Creche
by Fr. William Saunders
What is the origin of the Nativity Scene (creche)?
The story of the origin of the Christmas creche rests with
the very holy man, St. Francis of Assisi.
In the year 1223, St. Francis, a deacon, was visiting the
town of Grecio to celebrate Christmas. Grecio was a small town built on a
mountainside overlooking a beautiful valley. The people had cultivated the
fertile area with vineyards.
St. Francis realized that the chapel of the
Franciscan hermitage would be too small to hold the congregation for Midnight
Mass. So he found a niche in the rock near the town square and set up the
altar. However, this Midnight Mass would be very special, unlike any other
Midnight Mass.
St. Bonaventure (d. 1274) in his Life of St. Francis of
Assisi tells the story the best:
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 marvellously 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.
Although the story is long old, the message is clear for us.
Our own Nativity scenes which rest under our Christmas trees are a visible
reminder of that night when our Savior was born.
May we never forget
to see in
our hearts
the little Babe of Bethlehem,
who came to save us
from sin.
We must
never forget that
the wood of the manger
that held Him so securely
would one
day give way to the wood of the cross.
May we too embrace Him with all of our
love
as did St. Francis.
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