Assisi’s Christmas of “Il Poverello”

White snowflakes surround the entrance to the textile shop

Even the holiday decorations in the medieval hilltown of Assisi – citta’ della pace – bear witness to San Francesco:  simplicity is the theme.  Over twenty-five years ago, Pope John Paul II chose Assisi as the perfect site for his peace gathering, inviting here 160 world religious leaders for interfaith dialogue; “Il Poverello”, San Francesco, born here at the end of the 12th-century, is known worldwide as an emblem of peace, poverty and simplicity.

At Christmastime in Greccio in 1222, Francesco wished to bring alive (literally!) the Christmas story for the local peasants in a simple way, preaching to them in a stall flanked by an ox and an ass, thus creating a presepe vivente (“living creche”).

His biographer tells us that the Christ Child appeared in his arms as he preached.  Tiny mountain villages around Assisi still create presepi viventi on Dec 24, 25, 26, Jan 1 and 6 (when the Kings arrive, bearing gifts).

And in Assisi in early December, the contest of presepi artistici starts.  Over sixty Christmas cribs are set up in shop storefronts, hotel entryways, under medieval arches, in the churches and surrounding fountains.  

1st grade crib simplicity

The local populace (including the local school classes) make cribs in every imaginable artistic medium:  terracotta, maiolica, olive wood, blown glass, stained glass, wrought iron, copper, cork, recycled materials of every type (after all, our Francesco is the patron saint of ecology). The presepi - enchanting visitors until Jan 6th – are often in surprising settings and always moving in their simplicity.

The Gothic pointed arches over homes and Assisi’s shops might have a bit of embellishment: droplets of white lights, branches of evergreens, intertwining red ribbons.  Strings of white lights crisscross the main square in front of the 1st BC Roman temple. With handmade presepi and simplicity of decoration, so la citta’ del Poverello celebrates Natale.


Click here to read about a wondrous Assisi Christmas tradition
News on the presepe vivente
Read about Naples Christmas magic!
Read about another Italian Christmastime tradition


Simplicity of decoration:

Handmade presepi:



Posted in Festivals, Special Events, Umbrian Hilltowns on December 23, 2012

2 Responses to “Assisi’s Christmas of “Il Poverello””

  1. Len Jax Says:

    Anne – such a moving visual of what Assisi represents!
    Thanks

  2. Suzanne and Jack Says:

    Anne.
    What a lovely potrayal of Christmas in Assisi. How moving!

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