The first crib in the world was born from superb intuition of Saint Frank from Assisi. Deeply touched with
humility of incarnation, at Christmas night in 1223 in Greccio ordered to
prepare everything what was needed: straw, hay, crib, a true ox and
donkey. From Greccio which became as if the new Bethlehem the alive
image of crib scattered to all Italy, Europe, all around the world. It kept its
basic content intact as the authentic Gospel that ought to have reached all
contemplating the crib - the school of simplicity, poverty and humility.
The figure
of Baby Jesus is put into cribs with the great faith; with such faith
which the Holy Mary God Mother put the Baby Jesus in the crib. The
statue in
the crib is the sign of the dear and sincere faith that lights, shows
the way and leads the life of all the family members.
The crib had figures of Christmas characters accompanied with alive
animals. The
venture found the followers and gave the start for a new custom spreaded
by Franciscan orders. On the basis of the first crib there were built
the next ones, with numerous and more diversified figures,
often movable. In 19th century in
Poland there were krown cribs with thousands of movable figures. They
showed the birth of Jesus. After some time the crib was animated with
puppets, then
also people started acting in there and this is how the nativity plays were created.
The first crib in the world was born from superb intuition of Saint Frank from Assisi. Deeply touched with
humility of incarnation, at Christmas night in 1223 in Greccio ordered to
prepare everything what was needed: straw, hay, crib, a true ox and
donkey. From Greccio which became as if the new Bethlehem the alive
image of crib scattered to all Italy, Europe, all around the world. It kept its
basic content intact as the authentic Gospel that ought to have reached all
contemplating the crib - the school of simplicity, poverty and humility.
The crib had figures of Christmas characters accompanied with alive
animals. The
venture found the followers and gave the start for a new custom spreaded
by Franciscan orders. On the basis of the first crib there were built
the next ones, with numerous and more diversified figures,
often movable. In 19th century in
Poland there were krown cribs with thousands of movable figures. They
showed the birth of Jesus. After some time the crib was animated with
puppets, then
also people started acting in there and this is how the nativity plays were created.
