According to legend, the tradition of displaying a crèche (a depiction of the Nativity scene) at Christmas was begun, or at least popularized, by St. Francis of Assisi in 13th Century Italy. While visiting the village of Grecio at Christmas, St. Francis wanted to recreate the sense of awe and wonder he felt when he visited the site of Jesus’ birth in the Holy Land, and so St. Francis created a “living Nativity” in a cave outside the town. The practice became popular throughout Italy and quickly spread. To this day Nativity scenes are a visible reminder of the humble birth of our Savior.
Since we can’t be together this year, no holiday open houses or Christmas parties, we invited parishioners to send in photos of their home nativity scenes to share with everyone.
(Click on a thumbnail to view the photo and accompanying caption)