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GRECCIO CELEBRATION
INTRODUCTION RITES
When the community has gathered, a suitable song may be sung. After the singing, the Minister says:

In the name of the Father,

and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
The people reply:

Amen.
A minister who is a Priest or Deacon greets those present in the following or other suitable words, taken
mainly from sacred Scripture.

May the peace of our Lord Jesus Christ,

who was born of the Virgin Mary, be with you all.
The people reply:

And with your spirit.

INTRODUCTION
TRODUCTION TO THE CELEBRATION
The Priest, or a Deacon or another minister, may very briefly introduce the faithful to the Mass of the day.

As we prepare to celebrate the birth of Christ

on this occasion of the eighth hundredth year anniversary
of the first Christmas manger erected in Greccio
Greccio,
we pause to bless this Christmas manger scene.
The practice of erecting such mangers
was begun by Saint Francis of Assisi
as a means to set forth the message of Christmas.
When we look upon these figures
figures,
the Christmas gospel comes alive
and we are moved to rejoice
in the mystery of the incarnation of the Son of God.
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FRANCISCAN READING Bonaventure LM X 7, 610-611

610
A Reader, or another person present, or the minister reads a text from Franciscan source

From the Major Legend of Saint Francis of Assisi

by Saint Bonaventure.

I t happened three years prior to his death,

that Francis of Assisi,
decided to celebrate at the town of Greccio
the memory of the birth of the Child Jesus
with the greatest possible solemnity,
in order to arouse devotion.
So that this would not be considered a type of novelty,
he petitioned for and obtained permission
from the Supreme Pontiff.
He had a manger prepared, hay carried in
and an ox and an ass led to the spot.
The brethren are summoned, the people arrived,
the forest amplifies with their cries,
and that venerable night is rendered brilliant and solemn
by a multitude of bright lights and by a resonant
and harmonious hymns of praise.
The man of God stands before the manger,
filled with piety, bathed in tears and overcome with joy.
A solemn Mass is celebrated over the manger,
with Francis a Levite of Christ chanting the holy Gospel.
Then he preaches to the people standing around him
about the birth of the poor King,
who whenever he means to call him,
he called in his tender love,
the Babe from Bethlehem.
A certain virtuous and truthful knight,
Sir John of Greccio who had abandoned
worldly military activity out of love of Christ
and had become an intimate friend of the man of God
claimed that he saw a beautiful little child
asleep in that manger whom the blessed father Francis
embraced in both of his arms
and seemed to wake it from sleep.
Not only does the holiness of the witnes
witness
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make credible the vision of the devout knight,
but also the truth it expresses proves its validity
and the subsequent miracles confirm it.
For Francis’ example.
When considered by the world,
is capable of arousing the hearts
of those who are sluggish in the faith of Christ.
The hay from the crib was kept by the people
and miraculously cured sick animals
and drove away different kinds of pestilence.
Thus God glorified his servant in every way
and demonstrated the efficacy of his holy prayer
by the evident signs of wonderful miracles.
To the glory of Christ. Amen.
After the Francisca Reading, the image of the Infant Jesus will be placed on the manger while an appropriate
song is sung.

PRAYER OF BLESSING
The minister introduces the Prayer of Blessing.

Let us ask for God’s blessing

on this Christmas manger upon ourselves,
that we who reflect on birth of Jesus
may share in the salvation he accomplished.
A minister who is a Priest or Deacon says the Prayer of Blessing with hands outstretched,

G od every nation and people,

from the very beginning of creation
you have made manifest your love:
when our need for a Savior was great
you sent your Son to be born of the Virgin Mary.
To our lives he brings joy and peace,
justice, mercy, and love.

L ord,
bless all who look upon this manger;
may it remind us of the humble birth of Jesus,
and raise up our thoughts to him,
who is God-with
with-us and Savior of all,
and who lives and reigns for ever and ever.
The people reply:
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Amen.
The Priest will now sprinkle the manger with holy water and incenses it.

CONCLUDING RITE
A minister who is a Priest or Deacon concludes the rite by saying:

May Christ our God enlighten your hearts and minds,

now and for ever.
The people reply:

Amen.
Then he blesses all present.

And may Almighty God bless you all,

the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
The people reply:

Amen.
It is preferable to end the celebration with a suitable song.