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!
Saying Francis during Christmas time means Greccio, in memory of when Francis wanted to celebrate Christmas in a castle in the Holy Valley near Rieti. Such desire, in order to remind everyone how God had chosen to have his son born among the poor, not out of bad luck but by choice, surrounded by the straw, heated by the ox and the donkey, with shepherds and their wives rushing from the surrounding mountains: not necessarily the last ones of the Earth, but surely the most sincere people, the most true.
Live the experience in the space
As the Cardinal Ravasi writes, “Celebrating Christmas does not just mean preparing a beautiful Nativity scene carved with its shepherds, with the Magi in long robes and a heavenly joy suffused throughout the scenario»
«This holiday is primarily intended to be an opportunity to seek peace in one’s heart and with the another’, “Listen to the cry of the Child” and in this rediscover the cry of all the victimized children. Otherwise, Christmas loses its meaning».
Christmas is not a fairy tale for children.
Looking at the Sacred Convent of Assisi, at Francis’ home, an enormous gift that can be experienced every day is that of living surrounded by one of the most incredible forms of art that humanity has been able to conceive.
We refer to the two basilicas, upper and lower, which in addition to guarding the tomb of St. Francis, also house an infinite series of masterpieces.
Well, the narration of the nine evangelical “stages” of child Jesus, finds one of the greatest confirmations in the world in a cycle of frescoes, located in the right transept of the lower Basilica: the Stories of Christ’s childhood, by Giotto’s workshop.
Nine “very high” images that tell an incredible story that leave us speechless.
The statues and projections of Giotto's frescoes, present in the Basilica of San Francesco, bring lights and colors combining tradition and modernity with the Franciscan vision of Christmas in the city of the Saint of Assisi.
Under your protection
we seek refuge,
holy Mother of God:
do not despise supplications
of us who are in trial,
but deliver us from all danger,
oh glorious and blessed Virgin.
Mary Mother of Jesus
give me your heart
so beautiful pure immaculate
full of love and humility
so that I may receive Jesus...
The most intense, exciting images and words, I hope properly heard, of this terrible 2020 were those of the message of a strong and kind man, alone in the night under the rain, in an empty St. Peter’s Square. That invocation addressed to the world by Pope Francis: “You can’t save yourself alone”.
There are many things to do in order to follow up on those words. Starting with the communities, called to strengthen their bonds, not to exclude but to open up to the different, to the world, without leaving anyone behind. Help can come from our deepest traditions because, in Mahler’s words, “tradition is not a cult of ashes but a custody of fire”. Among the traditions that can help us in these moments that we are going through, the Nativity scene can play an important role more than ever.
It is a tradition that has become worldwide, although remains very Italian, whose origins are traced by all to the Nativity scene wanted and created by Saint Francis on Christmas of 1223 in Greccio. There are many initiatives and associations linked to the Nativity scene throughout Italy. And an artisan know-how has also been born in many territories that gives beauty, warmth and soul to Nativity scenes.
In a small way, but with the strength of true and good energies gathered under the aegis of the Manifesto of Assisi, the Symbola Foundation, Confartigianato, Coldiretti, in collaboration with the Future, starting this year, want to bring their own contribution, towards making the extraordinary relevance and strength of this gentle narrative even better understood. Every year we want to add a new profession, a new activity, linked to everyday life, to make it clear that we are talking not only about a past to remember, but the roots of a possible future.
It is not an original idea in itself, it has already happened several times: I am thinking, for example, of the presence of Civil Protection figures in the Nativity of the Sacred Convent. However, we want to propose a national initiative, open to all, renewed every year. And this year we could only symbolically propose a “profession” whose importance is now more evident than ever. For this reason, we will send statuettes of nurses throughout Italy, to represent the whole world of health and care, especially about the weakest. In the belief that, as Pope Francis says: “In order to get out of this crisis, we must recover the awareness that, as community, we have a common destiny”. And the Nativity scene reminds us of this.
Ermete Realacci – President of the Symbola Foundation
“Nessuno si salva da solo”. Mai come ora le parole di Papa Francesco sono uno specchio di questo periodo. Parole che si adattano al mestiere che vogliamo presentare quest’anno: quello dell’infermiera e dell’infermiere. Persone che si adoperano giorno e notte nel salvare i malati, nel sussurrare parole di conforto, mettendo la loro vita al servizio degli altri.
Nelle pagine iniziali del Vangelo di Luca, è narrato l’episodio della visita di un angelo a una vergine di Nazaret
Approfondisci
L’altra figura dell’Annunciazione è Maria di Nazaret, promessa sposa a un uomo chiamato Giuseppe. Il suo ruolo acquista importanza nel seguito del racconto di Luca
Approfondisci
Di nuovo Maria, di solito rappresentata vicino a Gesù che dorme dentro a una mangiatoia o sopra la paglia tra un bue e un asinello.
Approfondisci
Non temete, ecco vi annunzio una gioia grande, che sarà di tutto il popolo: oggi vi è nato nella città di Davide un salvatore
Approfondisci
Il bue e l’asino contendono a Maria la scena del Presepe. Ad Assisi Maria solleva il bimbo per poterlo guardare negli occhi e sorridergli beata
Approfondisci
Giuseppe ha le sembianze di un uomo anziano, con barba e capelli bianchi, che se ne stà seduto a terra pensieroso
Approfondisci
Il primissimo piano della Natività è occupato da due figure femminili, due balie che accudiscono il bambino appena nato.
Approfondisci
Sopra la capanna di Bethlehem Giotto dipinse quattordici angeli, cinque da un lato, nove dall’altro.
Approfondisci
Le due donne che portano doni – una vestita di bianco, l’altra di scuro - sono riprese dal quadro con la Visitazione alle pareti della chiesa.
Approfondisci
Due soldati col capo protetto da un elmetto, uno armato di scudo e lancia, l’altro di solo scudo, sono stati scelti per rappresentare il quadro con la strage degli innocenti.
Approfondisci
“Nessuno si salva da solo”. Mai come ora le parole di Papa Francesco sono uno specchio di questo periodo. Parole che si adattano al mestiere che vogliamo presentare quest’anno: quello dell’infermiera e dell’infermiere. Persone che si adoperano giorno e notte nel salvare i malati, nel sussurrare parole di conforto, mettendo la loro vita al servizio degli altri.
CON IL CONTRIBUTO E IL PATROCINIO DI
CON IL SOSTEGNO DI
PROGETTO TECNICO
