Saint Francis' Christmas

From 12.8.2025 to 2.2.2026

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The Vision

Saint Francis of Assisi loved the feast of Christmas above all other celebrations, because the Son of God, King of Glory, came into the world. He came into the world to bring Peace and the Lord’s Presence.
With Christmas, the Son of God immerses himself in our humanity and we immerse ourselves in his kind, affable and merciful presence.
Dearest All, Merry Christmas!

 

 

The Nativity

The Nativity

Saying Francis at Christmas means saying Greccio, in memory of when Francis wanted to celebrate Christmas in a castle in the Holy Valley at the gates of Rieti, to remember how God had chosen to give birth to his son among the poor, not by bad luck but by choice, among the straw with the ox and the donkey, with the shepherds and their brides rushed from the surrounding mountains: not necessarily the least of the earth, but the most sincere, the truest.

From this extraordinary experience was born the devotion and practice of the crib, which the Franciscan friars over the centuries have spread throughout the world.

 

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Francis' Christmas 2025

The video projection on the façade of the upper church of the Basilica depicts Sieger Köder’s ‘Weihnachten in Greccio’ (Nativity Scene of Greccio). The work is part of a series of famous contemporary artworks projected onto the main façades of churches and monuments in the city of Assisi. An original and immersive project, which aims to send a powerful message of hope and beauty to the world in view of the eighth centenary of Saint Francis’ death in 2026.

The projection

The video projection on the façade of the upper church of the Basilica depicts Sieger Köder’s ‘Weihnachten in Greccio’ (Nativity Scene of Greccio). The work is part of a series of famous contemporary artworks projected onto the main façades of churches and monuments in the city of Assisi. An original and immersive project, which aims to send a powerful message of hope and beauty to the world in view of the eighth centenary of Saint Francis’ death in 2026.

Castelli’s Monumental Nativity Scene

This year, the city of Assisi welcomes a precious gift: Castelli’s Monumental Nativity Scene, one of the most representative works of contemporary ceramic art. On the occasion of Christmas and the eighth centenary of Saint Francis’ death, a selection of the statues that make up the famous sculptural complex will be exhibited in the city of the Saint as a sign of peace and dialogue between religions, in line with the message of reconciliation launched by John Paul II in Assisi in 1986.

A choral work born in the heart of Abruzzo

The Monumental Nativity Scene is an extraordinary work, created between 1965 and 1975 by the teachers and students of the “F.A. Grue” Art Institute in Castelli, on the initiative of director Serafino Mattucci and under the guidance of teachers Gianfranco Trucchia and Roberto Bentini. Fifty-four statues made of refractory clay, modelled with the skill of master craftsmen and the innovative spirit of a creative workshop that has made the history of Castelli ceramics.

It is a collective work in which each figure takes shape thanks to the cooperation between students and teachers who have been able to create an original, innovative and powerful plastic language.

A nativity scene open to the world

Since its inception, the Monumental Nativity Scene of Castelli has travelled beyond the borders of Abruzzo. After its first exhibition in Rome at Christmas 1970, it was presented in Jerusalem, Bethlehem and Tel Aviv, in L’Aquila during the G8 summit and again in Rome.

The story of the monumental nativity

Francis' Nativity
THE ELEMENTS

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The figures stand out for their appearance and modular structure: cylindrical bodies and spherical heads, like living columns that rise up and dominate the surrounding space. It is the expressive power of the faces, gestures and costumes that make each character recognisable and human. There is no shortage of cultured and refined references: the verticality of the figures recalls Mesopotamian sculpture and the cylindrical base evokes Greek columns, while certain decorative details are inspired by the Italian Renaissance and 20th-century art.
The surfaces, modelled using the ‘colombino’ technique, offer softness and movement, as in the fleece of sheep or the folds of cloaks.

The
work

element

The figures stand out for their appearance and modular structure: cylindrical bodies and spherical heads, like living columns that rise up and dominate the surrounding space. It is the expressive power of the faces, gestures and costumes that make each character recognisable and human. There is no shortage of cultured and refined references: the verticality of the figures recalls Mesopotamian sculpture and the cylindrical base evokes Greek columns, while certain decorative details are inspired by the Italian Renaissance and 20th-century art.
The surfaces, modelled using the ‘colombino’ technique, offer softness and movement, as in the fleece of sheep or the folds of cloaks.

Today, on the occasion of Christmas, the Monumental Nativity Scene of Castelli returns to travel, arriving in Assisi, the city of dialogue and universal prayer.
It is a gesture that continues the message of peace that continues to radiate from Assisi throughout the world.
The Monumental Nativity Scene of Castelli is not only an extraordinary testimony to art, but also a concrete sign of hope: a living symbol of peace and unity for all humanity, which is now more necessary than ever.

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It seems a coincidence, but «the birth of Jesus, in the city of David is placed in the framework of the great universal history». Luke says: «While they were in that place, the days of childbirth were fulfilled for her. She gave birth to her firstborn son, wrapped him in swaddling clothes and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the lodging» (Lk 2:6-7).

The Nativity has a particular iconography with compared to the tradition, which partly follows the Gospel of Luke and partly reworks a Gospel of childhood known under the name of the Pseudo-Matteo, an apocryphal text that will be taken up again in the thirteenth century by the Legenda aurea of Iacopo da Varazze and that will receive a vast following among the artists.

In the upper church of the Basilica of St. Francis in Assisi, Giotto depicts the scene of Christmas at Greccio (Dec. 24, 1223), in which the saint takes the baby Jesus in his arms. The image is meant to express in this way the prodigy recounted by the witness Giovanni Velita, who saw, “inside the manger, a beautiful sleeping child, whom the blessed Francis, holding him with both arms, seemed to rouse from sleep” (Franciscan Sources 1186)
For St. Francis, the Lord’s Christmas was the feast of feasts, for on that day the Son of God had made himself one of us, and he wished that even the beasts of burden and the wild birds might be fed in abundance, such was the joy at this event of our salvation.

The Holy Family

element

It seems a coincidence, but «the birth of Jesus, in the city of David is placed in the framework of the great universal history». Luke says: «While they were in that place, the days of childbirth were fulfilled for her. She gave birth to her firstborn son, wrapped him in swaddling clothes and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the lodging» (Lk 2:6-7).

The Nativity has a particular iconography with compared to the tradition, which partly follows the Gospel of Luke and partly reworks a Gospel of childhood known under the name of the Pseudo-Matteo, an apocryphal text that will be taken up again in the thirteenth century by the Legenda aurea of Iacopo da Varazze and that will receive a vast following among the artists.

In the upper church of the Basilica of St. Francis in Assisi, Giotto depicts the scene of Christmas at Greccio (Dec. 24, 1223), in which the saint takes the baby Jesus in his arms. The image is meant to express in this way the prodigy recounted by the witness Giovanni Velita, who saw, “inside the manger, a beautiful sleeping child, whom the blessed Francis, holding him with both arms, seemed to rouse from sleep” (Franciscan Sources 1186)
For St. Francis, the Lord’s Christmas was the feast of feasts, for on that day the Son of God had made himself one of us, and he wished that even the beasts of burden and the wild birds might be fed in abundance, such was the joy at this event of our salvation.

The Wise Men, who came from the East, saw the star rising that announced the birth of the Messiah awaited by the people of Israel. “On seeing the star, they experienced great joy. As they entered the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they prostrated themselves and worshipped him. Then they opened their chests and offered him gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh” (Mt. 2:10-11).

The Wise Men

The Wise Men, who came from the East, saw the star rising that announced the birth of the Messiah awaited by the people of Israel. “On seeing the star, they experienced great joy. As they entered the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they prostrated themselves and worshipped him. Then they opened their chests and offered him gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh” (Mt. 2:10-11).

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“An angel of the Lord came to them, and the glory of the Lord enveloped them with light. They were seized with great fear, but the angel said to them, “Fear not: behold, I announce to you a great joy, which shall be to all the people: today in the city of David a Savior has been born to you, who is Christ the Lord. This is the sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.” And immediately there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men, whom he loves'” (Luke 2:8-14).

The angel

element

“An angel of the Lord came to them, and the glory of the Lord enveloped them with light. They were seized with great fear, but the angel said to them, “Fear not: behold, I announce to you a great joy, which shall be to all the people: today in the city of David a Savior has been born to you, who is Christ the Lord. This is the sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.” And immediately there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men, whom he loves'” (Luke 2:8-14).

The Christmas tree

This year a Cedrus atlantica glauca was donated to the Basilica. It was cut down with prior authorisation, causing no damage to the environment or local tree heritage. It comes from the municipality of L’Aquila, it is about 13 metres tall and it was donated to the municipality by the local company ‘Cordeschi giardinaggio’.

The tree was transported, in a spirit of collaboration between institutions, by the men and women of the Provincial Fire Brigade Command of L’Aquila.

Once again this year, there is an important charity initiative linked to it: on the baubles decorating it are written the names of the benefactors whose support will enable many families in need to enjoy a peaceful Christmas.

If you want, you too can participate in this charity initiative by going to dona.sanfrancesco.org/natale

The tree

This year a Cedrus atlantica glauca was donated to the Basilica. It was cut down with prior authorisation, causing no damage to the environment or local tree heritage. It comes from the municipality of L’Aquila, it is about 13 metres tall and it was donated to the municipality by the local company ‘Cordeschi giardinaggio’.

The tree was transported, in a spirit of collaboration between institutions, by the men and women of the Provincial Fire Brigade Command of L’Aquila.

Once again this year, there is an important charity initiative linked to it: on the baubles decorating it are written the names of the benefactors whose support will enable many families in need to enjoy a peaceful Christmas.

If you want, you too can participate in this charity initiative by going to dona.sanfrancesco.org/natale

A message from the Abruzzo region

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