What Is The Origin Of Nativity Scenes Or Nativity Scenes?

In countries with a Catholic tradition, the nativity scene or manger is an indispensable part of Christmas. Its tradition goes far beyond faith, since it is an authentic symbol of the holidays, in the same way as the Christmas tree or street lights.

The history of nativity scenes or mangers (as they are called in places like Catalonia or Italy) sinks its roots into the mists of time. Legend has it that it was Saint Francis of Assisi who, in the distant 1223, set up the first nativity scene in history. On the other hand, in Spain it seems that it was King Charles III himself, along with his wife Queen Amalia, who popularized this tradition that, over the years, reached all Hispanic homes.

If you are interested in knowing What is the origin of nativity scenes or mangers?keep reading. Today we tell you where this popular Christmas tradition came from.

The origin of nativity scenes: was Saint Francis the first nativity scene maker?

The nativity scene or manger (presepio in Italian) that Saint Francis of Assisi set up in the small town of Greccio is the first to be documented. However, this does not mean that this custom has not been taking place for a long time.

Apparently, The saint intended to stimulate the faith of the town’s inhabitants, so on Christmas night, he placed several characters in a nearby cave to represent the Nativity of Christ. In this case, the Holy Family and the shepherds were real people (in the manner of today’s living mangers), while the Baby Jesus was played by a rag doll, to prevent the baby from getting cold during the performance. The ox and the mule, on the other hand, were taken care of by a nobleman from the surrounding area, who offered the animals and straw for the cave.

Reminiscences of medieval sacred theater

However, long before Saint Francis of Assisi encouraged Christmas faith through a life-size nativity scene, liturgical theater was celebrated in the squares and churches of cities and towns, with passages from the Bible as plots.

And, much further back in time (specifically, between the years 432 and 440 AD), Pope Sixtus III brought supposed fragments of the cradle of the Child Jesus to Rome from the Holy Land. These relics were kept in the church of Santa María del Praesepe (Saint Mary of the Manger), the current Basilica of Santa María Maggiore.

In other words: the birth of Christ was very present in the first centuries of the Middle Ages and, although the nativity scene did not materialize until well into the 13th century, there are testimonies that say that, during the Christmas Eve, Theatrical performances were held in the churches that staged the birth of Jesus and the adoration of shepherds and Magi.

Specifically, the pieces that were dedicated to the birth of the Child were known as Officium pastorum and Ordo Stellaeand they focused, respectively, on the adoration of the shepherds and the Epiphany. The known Car of the Three Wise Menwritten in Spanish in the 13th century, is the Ordo Stellae oldest surviving medieval in the Romance language; It is believed that it was performed in the Toledo Cathedral on Christmas Day.

“Nativity scenes” are prohibited

At the beginning of the 13th century, these performances, originally religious and designed to exalt faith, had become a true festival where there was no shortage of noise, wine and excess. Furthermore, the original protagonists, taken from the Bible, had begun to mix with popular characters, perfectly recognizable by the people of that time. In the representations there were no shortage of potters, fishermen, brewers or farmers, among many others.

Repulsed by what he considered a “vulgarity”, Pope Innocent III prohibited this type of representation in 1207. In fact, in order to carry out his famous representation in the Greccio cave, Saint Francis had to ask his successor for a bull, Pope Honorius III. The saint’s “first nativity scene” had a huge impact on medieval society, and its popularity was spurred by the Franciscan order, the main promoter of the nativity scene as a Christmas manifestation.

Thus, the papal prohibition had no effect. The ancient tradition of representing the birth of Jesus continued to have a deep impact on people and, little by little, the manger expanded. In the 14th century, apparently, it was quite common to find representations in cathedrals and churches, since we have a document dated in Valencia at that time in which the canons of the cathedral complain that their nativity scene had been “spoiled.”

From actors to figurines: the modern nativity scene is born

Judging by the expression, we must think that the nativity scene in Valencia Cathedral was already made up of figurines and not actors. In fact, the oldest nativity scene made up of clay or cardboard characters is found in Krakow; This extraordinary historical witness dates back to no less than the 13th century.

In any case, the great century of the nativity scene is the 18th. Already in the previous century, the tradition had entered the noble houses, which competed to see who had the most beautiful manger. Soon, the popular classes wanted to imitate them, and throughout the Catholic geography Christmas markets began to appear where humble hand-painted clay figures were sold that delighted children and adults. One of the nativity fairs whose origin dates back to this time is the famous Santa Llúcia Fairwhich started every year on December 13 in the cloister of the Barcelona Cathedral and its surrounding streets.

In the 19th century, the nativity scene was already part of the collective Christmas imagination. The manufacture of figures is becoming increasingly simpler: they are produced in series and there are various versions available to all budgets. The landscapes, which did not exist at first (so as not to take away the importance of the figures), later became expressions of manners, and each place captured the geography of its land in its manger.

With the rise of archeology (especially after the discovery of Pompeii and Herculaneum and the reunion with Egypt in the 18th century), more historicist landscapes began to be designed, which recovered the taste for orientalism.

Amalia of Saxony, the queen dazzled by nativity scenes

But if there is a character who (at least in the Hispanic sphere) has done a lot for the popularization of the nativity scene, it is King Charles III, who brought from his beloved Naples (where he had been king before becoming king of Spain) the tradition of the Neapolitan nativity scene. However, although the monarch has a reputation for being the promoter of this tradition in Hispanic lands, It was actually his wife, Queen Amalia of Saxony, the true lover of the cribs and their main supporter.

The queen’s passion was such that in one of the rooms of the Royal Palace of Madrid they ordered the installation known as Prince’s Bethlehemwhich can still be visited today. This is a beautiful Neapolitan nativity scene that was executed by José Esteve Bonet, José Ginés Marín and the famous Murcian artist Francisco Salzillo (1707-1783), one of the great creators of nativity scenes in Spain. In fact, in the Salzillo Museum in Murcia we can see one of his creations, the so-called Bethlehem of Salzillowhich majestically presents the vivid colors and genuine expression of the 18th century.