the most recent
in all the caves
the witnesses:
> 2021-2022 THE SON OF THE FATHER
> [2020-2021]
> 2019-2020 THE INSTRUMENT
> 2018-2019 THE ANGEL of lost things
> 2017-2018 THE SIGN
> 2016-2017 THE FORTY DAYS
the narrations:
> 2015-2016 THE SCANDAL MAN
> 2014-2015 FRANCIS' ALTAR
> 2013-2014 THE ANGEL of Miriàm
Mystical nativities:
> 2012-2013 THE ALLIANCE
> 2011-2012 JOSEPH'S MYSTERY
> 2010-2011 THE WOLF ANT THE LAMB
in the big cave
the crib and the dioramas:
> 2009-2010 THE ESSENES - the sons of light
> 2008-2009 THE ANGEL - 3rd edition
Dreamlike Nativities:
> 2007-2008 BET LEHM - House of Bread
> 2006-2007 LILITH - the first Eve
the "new Nativities":
> 2005-2006 THE CARAVANSERAI- 2nd edition
> 2004-2005 BÉÈR - the well
> 2003-2004 THE ANGEL - 2nd edition
in the first caves
the third millennium:
> 2002-'03 SALOMÈ - the unbelieving midwife
> 2001-'02 THE MARKET
Jubilee trilogy:
> 2000-'01 THE PILGRIM KINGS
> 1999-2000 SABBATH - the Jewish Saturday
> 1998-'99 THE ANGEL
historical research:
> 1997-'98 THE CARAVANSERAI
> 1996-'97 THE HOSPITALITY OF THE POOR
the crib grows:
> 1995-'96 THE NOISE OF THE CRAFTS
> 1994-'95 THE THREE KINGS' GIFTS
only in the well
Three-dimensional cribs:
> 1993-'94 THE FAMILY
> 1992-'93 THE COMET
> 1991-'92 THE EARTH AND THE SKY
the first Nativities:
> 1990-'91 THE FIRMAMENT
> 1989-'90 PEACE ON HEART
2014-2015
FRANCIS’ ALTAR
-Greccio 791 years ago-
From December 23rd 2014 to January 11th 2015
Peace and All Good! I’m Brother Leo, a close friend and confessor of John Bernardone, better known as Francis of Assisi. The holy friar confessed to me his innermost secrets, desires and aspirations. Francis, although the son of wealthy merchants, was born in the house stable, between 1181 and 1182. He has a very lively youth, during which he experienced studies, luxuries and revelry, but also war, imprisonment and disease. In the winter of 1206 he decided to leave parental wealth and he went as a hermit, to follow his beloved Lady Poverty. Francis and his companions lived in absolute respect of the Gospel. When I joined them, they were still a few monks, most laypeople. We experimented every day the perfect joy, with prayers, alms and care for lepers. Over the years the number of brothers increased dramatically and it became increasingly difficult for them to live as «Jesus the poor, born and lived poor, died naked on the cross and buried in a loaned tomb».
In the summer of 1220 Francis had to interrupt his trip to the Holy Land to return to Assisi, where there were many disagreements and divisions among his brethren, about the ownership of property and wealth. His big dream to visit the cave of Bethlehem, where Jesus became poor among the poor, being born in a manger, was miserably vanished. Francis lived his return to Assisi as another defeat. The project of a community living evangelical poverty had essentially failed. The holy friar gave up the leadership of the order and became secluded, with me and a few other trusted companions, in the woods near Greccio. In November of 1223 Pope Honorius III approved the Rule of the Friars Minor, much milder than the first rule that Francis, fourteen years before, had submitted to Pope Innocent III. It was another failure for the holy friar, now seriously ill.
It was Christmas Eve of 1223. In Rome, Pope Honorius III celebrated with pomp Christmas Mass in front of the relics of the manger in Bethlehem in the church of Santa Maria Maggiore, in a chapel overflowing of gold and silver. Conversely, Francis had asked the Lords of Greccio, Giovanni Velita and Madonna Alticama, to set up an altar in the woods, on a manger, with an ox and a donkey, there to celebrate the Mass of Christmas Eve, so that they could see all “with bodily eyes the hardships in which it was found” to be born Our Lord, who became Eucharist for us. I never seen greatest prodigy: during that Mass all the presents had the vision of a Holy Child awakened from a deep sleep, like from death. Francis was moved and happy, seraphically serene in his love for Lady Poverty. Greccio that night was Bethlehem.
«Francis overcomes all the difficulties man encounters and turns them in something sweet»
Alda Merini – Francesco, canto di una creatura
It took 790 years from that Holy Christmas so that a pope chose to call himself Francis and claimed to want «a poor Church for the poor»
Curiosities
- Sponsorships of the 26th edition: to the patronage of the Municipality of Orvieto and the Umbria Region, given the particular theme of the 26th Nativity Scene in the Well, were added, to our great pleasure and honor, those of the Papal Basilica of Santa Maria degli Angeli in Porziuncola, of the Proloco and the Municipality of Greccio
- Success: the nativity scene dedicated to Saint Francis was the most visited of the 26 editions and one of the most “media-focused”, with reports and specials dedicated to the event by important national and international newspapers
- Pope Francis: given the explicit reference to Pope Francis, several visitors – both prelates and lay people – wrote to the pontiff sending photos and videos of the nativity scene
- Paolo Bonolis: the 2014-2015 Nativity scene enjoyed an involuntary testimonial, Paolo Bonolis, who, hosting the author in his quiz show «Avanti un Altro», spoke at length about our event and its particularities
Concept and project – creation of characters – sets and costumes – lights and stage effects – press office – graphics: Marco Sciarra | Mary and Jesus of Greccio: Andrea Giomaro | faces, skin tones and makeup characters: David Bracci – Sara Catanzaro – Carlo Diamantini Erica Buzzi – Special Makeup Studio – Marisa Paisio – Fiorenza Biancheri – Creature Studios – Marco Sciarra – Francesca Montanari |animals: Sara Catanzaro – David Bracci – Marco Sciarra | drapes: Francesca Montanari | installation: Marco Sciarra and family | setup inside the well: Marco Santopietro