History of The Christmas Manger
By: Vic Alcuaz
Tags: Jesus, Christmas, Church History, Catholic, God

Cultural Historian from the Philippines, Louie Nacorda and a regular Ave Maria contributor, shares this beautiful story about one of the best traditions during Christmas time:

We owe our beautiful tradition of setting up Nativity scenes during Christmas to St Francis, who put up the first manger ever in our Catholic world.

It was on Christmas Eve of 1223, in the hillside town of Greccio in Italy, that St Francis thought of holding the Midnight Mass in the town plaza, to accommodate all the attendees, since the Franciscan hermitage is too small for a large congregation.

He found a shallow cave nearby and filled the floor with hay. Next, he brought in a live cow, ass, and some sheep inside the cave. In the middle of the cave, he placed a rock manger, with no image of the newborn Child Jesus.

Then he invited all the towns folk and the villagers to attend the open air Midnight Mass, with the express permission of the bishop.

At Midnight Mass, he read and preached the Gospel, being the deacon. During the sermon, he could not say the words, “Child Jesus” so he utteted the now famous words, “Babe of Bethlehem.”

After his sermon, Francis lovingly looked at the empty manger in contemplation. A witness, a devout person and local noble man, John of Vileta, however, testified later that when Francis knelt before the empty manger, he saw the Child Jesus manifested, sleeping in the manger, which Francis slowly and reverently carried in his arms and caressed with such tenderness that tears started to flow from his eyes.

The vision lasted only a few seconds and was shown only to Francis and John of Vileta. After the Mass, the villagers asked for the strewn hay inside the cave to be used as a sacramental for their animals. The hay was first reported to cure sick animals but later, pregnant women delivered safely by clutching on to a stalk of the hay from the cave.

Thus, the presence of the Child Jesus in the stone manger in the cave of Greccio was proven true because of the efficacy of the sacramental hay that cured diseases and eased the delivery of pregnant women.

REFLECTION

When we put up our Nativity Scene in our homes, we ought to remember who the figurines represent and what the event that we celebrate mean to the whole of mankind, not just to you and me.

What does the manger symbolize?

In a word, the manger symbolizes God’s love for mankind, for he did not spare his only begotten Son, who assumed human nature, born of a woman, to lead men back to God.

It also shows that salvation is open to all men, as not only the Jewish shepherds called, but also men from distant lands and different customs and religions.

RESOLUTION

We should not treat our manger at home as mere Christmas decorations like the balls, garlands and star we hang on the Christmas tree. We should rather use our manger as visual aid in meditating on the Love of God for all men; the Humility of God born in a manger, of ordinary folks; and the Power of God to keep the Mother ever Virgin despite her pregnancy and childbirth.

Let us pray before the manger and ask God that the true spirit of Christmas may envelope our hearts always; the spirit of Peace, Joy and Love.