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800th ANNIVERSARY OF THE FIRST NATIVITY SCENE

When I was asked to write a reflection on Saint Francis and given the liberty to pick any Franciscan theme, my thoughts went immediately to Greccio and the story of the first Live Nativity Scene.

Saint Francis was first inspired by the idea of a live Nativity scene after visiting the historical place of Christ’s birth on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land – the humble stable in a Bethlehem cave.

Saint Francis stopped at Greccio (1223) because he wanted to contemplate the realness of the Incarnation, namely the simplicity, poverty and humility of the Son of God “who gave Himself for us with supreme and indescribable love” (I Celano)

Thus, the custom of having a Nativity Set in every home became a reality. I am certain that most families carry on this tradition today and this display in many cases has been handed down from generation to generation. Whether the display is most ornate, elaborate or very plain, the message that it brings is the Love of God giving us His Only begotten Son to redeem our world.

As Franciscans it is our mission to spread that message of love and redemption to everyone we meet. So this year as we celebrate the Eight Hundredth anniversary of the First Nativity Scene, let us make known to all the Love that Francis first showed us in 1223.

Brother David Anthony Migliorino, OSF, ‘73
Principal: Saint Anthony’s High School
South Huntington, New York


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