The Crèche Scene: Integral Part of an Assisi Christmastime

The creche scene competition (Concorso Presepi) is always a highlight of the Christmas season in Assisi – for the first crèche scene was a “living” one created by San Francesco in 1223 in Greccio (northern Latium).

Throughout Assisi, artisanal crèche scenes appear in shop windows, hotel entryways, medieval alleyways and in civic buildings and churches.

And not to miss: a wander through the town to see the illuminated medieval churches. In the 12th-century Cathedral of San Rufino in the upper part of the town, St.Francis was baptized and his baptism is depicted on the facade:

Inside, one notes a charming crèche scene which is set in Assisi: the Christ Child is flanked by Mary and Joseph not in a stall but in the 1st B.C. Roman temple to Minerva in Assisi’s main square:

The crèche in San Rufino links to Assisi’s extraordinary May festival, Calendimaggio, when those in the upper part of the town (La Parte de Sopra) compete with those in the lower area of Assisi (La Parte de Sotto) in three days of medieval competitions, song, dance, and splendid theatrical scenes.

The figures on the right are in blue, the color of La Nobilissima Parte de Sopra, backdropped by the blue banner of Sopra…

… and the noble figures on the left are in red, the color of La Magnifica Parte de Sotto and are backdropped by the red banner of Sotto:

I noted that the Madonna – just behind the noble figures of Sotto – had traces of red in her garments….

,,,,while just behind the Nobilissima Parte de Sopra figures in blue, Saint Joseph – holding his staff – wore garments with traces of blue:

The San Rufino crèche thus links the first Nativity to the medieval epoch of Assisi. Bellissimo.

Another link to the Middle Ages in this crib scene is the sleeping knight, lying before the Holy Family (in the Minerva temple:

The knight is wrapped in the cloak worn by those members of the Compagnia dei Cavalieri del Colle Paradiso, a lay association founded in the 1950’s emulating the knights accompanying the ill Francesco back to Assisi from nearby Satriano shortly before his death in 1226.

And you can see a group of this association today on their Facebook page.

The crib scene was in fact created by the Compagnia as participation in the Assisi crib scene competition as a plaque nearby indicates:

Also displayed, the significance of the creche scene, called “The Dream of the Knight”…

…telling us that “the elderly knight dreams of a past Christmas in his youth when preparations included games, poetry, music, songs of love – all relived now by him in solitude as a tender memory in front of the Baby Jesus…”

Certainly, when entering – or leaving – the Cathedral of San Rufino during the Christmas season, that crèche scene was to note.