Things You Should Know About the History of Nativity Scenes

If you’re hosting a display of painted or carved nativity figures every Christmas and in the months leading up to Christmas you’re a part of a tradition that goes back several hundred years.

If you’re using a piece of carving or plaster display (or creche) during the Christmas season, you’re part of an important Christmas tradition that goes back to the past. Learn about the history of Nativity creches.

Tradition

Legend says that Saint Francis of Assisi started his first creche in the year Nativity scene was a live performance that comprised an Ox, a manger, and a donkey within the context of a Christmas Eve Mass he planned when he was in this town located in the mountains of Grecia.

St. Bonaventure wrote about the events of the evening in the biography of St. Francis, “A certain valiant and veracious soldier, Master John of Grecio, who, for the love of Christ, had left the warfare of this world, and become a dear friend of this holy man, affirmed that he beheld an Infant marvelously beautiful, sleeping in the manger, Whom the blessed Father Francis embraced with both his arms as if he would awake Him from sleep. “

Nativity at Christmas

The first time a nativity scene was constructed, the tradition was adopted and adopted by many. Within a century or so almost every church across Italy such as, for example, was part of the tradition. In time sculptures of animals as well as live figures were utilized which eventually led to Christmas nativity scenes at home that is so much present in Christmas celebrations today.

Creches may not be historically accurate since they show both shepherds and they portray the Magi as they appeared in the scene immediately after Christ had been born. But it is true that they are based on the Gospel of Matthew suggests that the Magi went along with the star that was pointed toward Jesus’s house for at least a year following the birth, however, the Christians are influenced by the well-known characters of the Christmas tale and put them all in one place.

There are many experts believe that the first creche to be found in Italy is composed of marble statues kept in Rome’s Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore and are believed as the creation of artist Arnolfo of Cambio The statues are believed to be dating a variety of times from 1284 to end in 1289.

The French region of Provence is renowned as the place where artisans create saints (little saints) miniature clay figures that are hand-crafted. Similar to other regions, nativity-themed home scenes are very well-liked in this part of France but they are usually elaborate and constructed of expensive materials, making them too expensive for the average household. As of the French Revolution, they were virtually prohibited.

In 1797, Jean-Louis Lagnel began to create figurines of Nativity made from clay, which made them available to all. Later, in the 20th century, Therese Neveu introduced the practice of firing clay figurines to increase their strength, thus creating the santons that we have today. Santons are a part of the Musee du Santon et des Traditions de Provence is home to one of the largest assortments of Santons. It’s also where you can see the world’s tiniest creche, as described in the Guinness Book of World Records which has 39 santons to be precise.

Tomas Kryza

The Guinness Book of World Records refers to the creche invented by Tomas Kryza (1838-1918) as the largest of its kind. A stocking weaver from Jindrichuv Hradec which is now part of the Czech Republic, Kryza spent 60 years creating the extravagant display which includes 1389 characters that include human beings and animals. Kryza started by designing his Nativity scene. Later on, in the years that followed Kryza created more creches. It is now part of a museum in Jindrichuv Hradec that also includes other Biblical themes as also scenes from the everyday life of the 19th century.