Situated in the forested Sabine Hills between Rome and Assisi, the little town of Greccio holds a special place in the Franciscan tradition and is the birthplace of a common Christmas practice.
At the Nativity, the human race encountered God in the humblest of circumstances imaginable: as a newborn baby born amongst animals and resting in a manger. St. Francis of Assisi, aware of the profound importance of this humble scene and recognizing that many Christians living in his time would never be able to make a pilgrimage to Bethlehem, became determined to bring the experience of Bethlehem to Italy.
On Christmas Eve in 1223, the road to Greccio was illuminated by the torches of countless pilgrims ascending from the valley below, heeding Francis’s invitation. When they arrived, they found Bethlehem: tucked into a small cave was a carving of the Christ child laying in hay on a stone, flanked by a live ox and live donkey. Christmas Eve Mass was celebrated in the presence of the scene, and St. Francis, a deacon, preached on the meaning of the Nativity.
The simple act of representing the Nativity scene with live animals and actors spread throughout Europe and eventually the whole Christian world. Nevertheless, Greccio forever bears the distinction of being the birthplace of the now-common practice, born from the heart of St. Francis himself.
Built into the side of a cliff near the village, the Sanctuary of Greccio offers modern pilgrims reminders of Francis’s presence. At the heart of the shrine stands a small chapel, built into the cave of Francis’s Christmas scene. A carving of the Christ child rests upon the original stone under a small altar. Dedicated in 1228, this chapel was the first to be named after St. Francis after his canonization. Near the chapel, pilgrims will find the cells of the early Franciscan brothers who called the Sanctuary home. Finally, in a larger church built above the rest of the Sanctuary, pilgrims have the opportunity to encounter Christmas whenever they visit. In honor of the 1223 scene, Christmas Mass can be celebrated at the Sanctuary of Greccio throughout the year.
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