St. Francis of Assisi organized the first Nativity re-enactment – it occurred in the town of Greccio, Italy, in 1223.
The idea came to him as he looked for a way to help people do more than imagine the humility of God, but to experience it. Francis himself had visited the manger in Bethlehem years before and it had left a strong impression that God chose to be born poor, in a stable. Francis wanted others to experience that same profound understanding.
So, with the help of a nobleman, Francis set about creating a manger with hay in a cave. He brought the scene to life with real humans and manger animals.
On Christmas Eve, the local friars and townsfolk gathered at the manger to celebrate the Eucharist. It was an event that Francis’ biographer, St. Bonaventure, said was filled with joy and reverence:
“The child Jesus was awakened in many hearts by the grace of the holy servant Francis and recalled to life by his powerful memory.”
— St. Bonaventure (Legenda Maior X.7)
There are important messages that we can take away from St. Francis’ creative act:
The love of God is concrete
We have all been given the gift to experience the marvelous capacity that humanity – even a baby – has to communicate that love.
Christmas is a communal celebration
Every person is united in the birth of God in human form – rich and poor, laypeople and clergy.
All humans are graced by God and can become God-like
God did not give up on us. Instead, He made his likeness in one of us. In His unfathomable wisdom, God chose to use the means of our very humanity to communicate great divine love for us.
Francis saw Jesus as the model human being – one who set the standard and marked the way for all of us to travel on the journey of daily life toward the fullness of life with God.
