ST. PETER'S TRIBUTE TO ST. FRANCIS
The 8th January sees the official end of this year's Christmas festivities, with the gradual dismantling of the street decorations and the removal of the Christmas Tree and the Presepio (Christmas Crib) from the centre of St. Peter's Square.
This year's Presepio was a special homage to St. Francis of Assisi who recreated the first Nativity re-enactment at the clifftop monastery of Greccio (Lazio) 800 years ago in order to bring the Christmas message of peace to his followers. The St. Peter's Crib is therefore a reconstruction of the Greccio grotto, complete with copies of the 1409 wall paintings that can still be seen in situ today.
In addition, the Infant Jesus is not in his mother's arms or lying in the manger, but is held instead by St. Francis of Assisi while a group of Franciscan friars take the place of the usual shepherds.
Other unusual – and sometimes whimsical – interpretations of the Nativity are on show at the Presepio exhibition under the Basilica colonnade.
M.STENHOUSE
Info: www.vaticannews.va