Of the Manger Francis Made

from First Life of St. Francis

by Thomas of Celano

The humility of the Incarnation and the charity of the Passion occupied his [St. Francis’] memory particu­larly, to the extent that he wanted to think of hardly anything else. What he did on the birthday of our Lord Jesus Christ near the little town called Greccio in the third year before his glorious death [1223] should espe­cially be noted and recalled with reverent memory.

In that place there was a certain man by the name of John [of Bellita], of good reputation and an even better life, whom blessed Francis loved with a special love....Blessed Francis sent for this man...about 15 days before the birth of the Lord, and said to him: “If you want us to celebrate the present feast of our Lord at Greccio, go with haste and diligently prepare what I tell you. For I wish to do something that will recall to memory the little Child who was born in Beth­lehem and set before our bodily eyes in some way the inconveniences of his infant needs, how he lay in a manager, how, with an ox and an ass standing by, he lay upon the hay where he had been placed.” When the good and faithful man heard these things, he ran with haste and prepared in that place all the things the saint had told him.

But the day of joy drew near, the time of great rejoicing came. The brothers were called from their various places. Men and women of that neighborhood prepared with glad hearts, according to their means, candles and torches to light up that night that has lighted up all the days and years with its gleaming star.

At length the saint of God came, and finding all things prepared, he saw it and was glad. The manger was prepared, the hay had been brought, the ox and ass were led in. There simplicity was honored, poverty was exalted, humility was com­mended, and Greccio was made, as it were, a new Bethlehem. The night was lighted up like the day, and it delighted men and beasts.

The people came and were filled with joy over the new mystery. The woods rang with the voices of the crowds and the rocks made answer to their jubilation. The brothers sang, paying their debt of praise to the Lord, and the whole night resounded with their rejoicing. The saint of God stood before the manger, uttering sighs, overcome with love, and filled with a wonderful happiness. The solemnities of the Mass were celebrated over the manger and the priest experienced a new consolation.

The saint of God…then…preached to the people standing about, and he spoke charming words about the nativity of the poor King and the little town of Bethlehem. Frequently too, when he wish to call Christ Jesus, he would call him simply the Child of Bethlehem. . . .

The gifts of the Almighty were multiplied there, and a wonderful vision was seen by a cer­tain virtuous man. For he saw a little child lying in the manger lifeless, and he saw the holy man of God go up to it and rouse the child as from a deep sleep. The vision was not unfitting, for the Child Jesus had been forgotten in the hearts of many; but, by the working of his grace, he was brought to life again through his servant St. Francis and stamped upon their fervent memory. At length the solemn night celebration was brought to a close, and each one returned to his home with holy joy.