Greccio

Greccio

Francis of Assisi first came upon the village of Greccio in 1217. Greccio is located in the rural Rieti Valley just about an hour north of Rome by car. It is a peaceful, secluded area where one can commune with nature. During his 1217 visit, Francis preached and converted many of Greccio’s residents. They were so taken by the power of God in his words that they asked him to stay in Greccio. Francis upon seeing that the residents wanted to build for him and his followers a home, preferred to move on. The people of Greccio would have none of this and eventually compromised with Francis by convincing him that he could live just outside of town.

The view from the terrace in front of the Chapel of Presepio in Greccio

According to legend, a local child was asked to throw a burning torch to determine where Francis and his followers would live. The torch landed in front of a set of caves – an excellent dwelling for anyone looking to pray in solitude. In 1223 Francis celebrated Christmas in one of these caves. Keen on recreating the birth of Jesus, he put together the first ever nativity scene or crèche with real people and animals. The idea of having a Christmas crèche (although not always with real people and animals) caught on quite quickly and continues today.

One of the caves in Greccio

Modern day visitors to Greccio can still visit the various caves where Francis and his brothers resided. The Chapel of Presepio – built into the cave system – is an ideal place for them to stop and pray.