Christmas 2023: the Nativity in St Peter Square

On Sunday, the Nativity scene to celebrate Christmas 2023 was presented in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican.
The grotto of the Nativity also features St. Francis and those who helped him in 1223 to create the first living Nativity scene.

The story goes that the saint was inspired to reproduce the Nativity scene during his journey to the Holy Land.
Returning two weeks before Christmas, he asked his friends in Greccio, 50 miles north of Rome, to build a cave with animals and a manger.

He wanted to show how the Child Jesus was born in a place where everything was missing.

And so on Christmas night, St. Francis read the Gospel and Homily.
People had flocked in large numbers to watch the scene.

During the Mass, a miracle took place.

The story goes that a baby appeared in the manger and St. Francis took him in his arms holding him in an embrace.
Several miracles of healings were reported obtained by touching the straw of that manger.
In the background of the Nativity in St. Peter's, the fresco with the birth of Jesus present behind the altar in Greccio is reproduced.