Vatican Christmas Nativity Scene to Resemble the Historic 1st Creche of St Francis from 1223

 The Vatican will display a traditional representation of the nativity in St. Peter's Square and in the Paul Hall which will resemble the 800 year old first nativity scene of St. Francis in Greccio. The donated silver fir tree will come from Macra, a municipality in the upper Maira Valley in the province of Cuneo. The decoration will be inspired by Laudato Si'. The inauguration is on December 9th at 5pm

Eight hundred years ago, Saint Francis of Assisi wanted to create the first nativity scene and Honorius III approved the Bollata Rule for the Friars Minor. Due to the double anniversary, this year's Nativity in St. Peter's Square and in the Paul VI Hall will come from the Reatina Valley in the Diocese of Rieti, while the monumental Christmas tree comes from the upper Maira Valley, in the municipality of Macra, in the Diocese of Saluzzo and the province of Cuneo.

The traditional inauguration of the Nativity scene and the lighting of the Christmas tree will be held in St. Peter's Square on Saturday 9 December at 5.00 pm. The ceremony will be presided over by Cardinal Fernando Vérgez Alzaga, President of the Governorate of the Vatican City State, in the presence of Sister Raffaella Petrini, General Secretary of the same Governorate. In the morning, the Delegations of Rieti and Macra will be received in audience by Pope Francis for the official presentation of the gifts.

The Nativity scene in St. Peter's Square recreates the time period of Christmas 1223, when St. Francis, returning from a trip to the Holy Land, asked to re-enact the birth of Jesus, to do it in a town that reminded him of Bethlehem.

At the end of the exhibition in the Vatican, the monumental works will be permanently exhibited in the city of Rieti.

The lighting setup and the ceremony are, as usual, handled by the Governorate's Infrastructure and Services Directorate and the Governorate's Events Coordination. The tree and the Nativity Scenes will remain on display until the end of the Christmas season, which coincides with the feast of the Baptism of the Lord, Sunday 7 January 2024.