St. Francis of Assisi and the First Nativity

St. Francis of Assisi (1181 – 1226) is one of the most beloved saints of the Catholic Church. He is known for his deep devotion to Christ, his love of animals and nature, his dedication and compassion for the poor and marginalized, and his foundational role in the Franciscan Order. But did you know that St. Francis is also responsible for creating the first nativity?

In 1223, St. Francis was making his way back home to Assisi from a trip to Rome, where he was having the Rule for his Order approved. He had stopped for the night in Greccio, Italy. Christmas was approaching and St. Francis began to think of his recent trip to the Holy Land, where he witnessed the sites of Jesus Christ’s birth, death and resurrection. He thought about how great it would be to bring the story of Christ's birth to the people, so they could experience this and not just hear about it. With the help of his friend Giovanni Velita, they recreated the First Nativity night setting up a cave complete with animals, a hay-filled manger, and real people portraying Mary, Joseph, and the baby Jesus.

On the eve of Christmas, the local people gathered with candles to witness the “birth of Christ”. Eyewitness accounts reveal a miracle which occurred that evening. During the Mass, a live baby appeared in the empty manger. St. Francis was moved to tears as he picked up the child and held him. Over the next several days, additional miracles occurred. People reported healings by touching the hay that lay in the manger. Sick animals touched by the hay were healed.

The tradition of St. Francis’s Nativity spread quickly and is still celebrated to this day as everyone desired an invitation to experience the Birth of Christ firsthand.

St. Bonaventure (1221 - 1274), a follower and contemporary of St. Francis, has left us a complete account of the night of St. Francis’s first live Nativity.

“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.

St. Francis of Assisi and the Nativity

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.”