| Show 1 crib traditional christmas mark in southern europe ry 1 I g it it 9 v the christmas crib is as traditionally a part of christmas in southern europe as is the christmas tree in the northern countries in france it is the or cradle in italy the 0 or r manger in germany krippe or crib in czechoslovakia jedlicky Jes licky and in spain the nacimiento or nativity scene from the earliest years of christianity priests and religious leaders interpreted the bible by literal representation of pl plays ays tableaux etc because of the lack of books and widespread in inability abil to read however the first crib was set up in 1223 by st fran frail cis assisi s st francis received special permission from the pope to erect his in the village of grec cio near assisi this first crib was an immediate sensation set up in a stable it was complete with live animals etc breccio became famous for its crib and miraculous cures were attributed to the provender d er of the animals one of the most famous cribs in the world was built by the capuchin monks the shrine of the madonna delle grazie situated in a grotto and surrounded by galleries of sardinian cork giving a mountainous effect wooden figures carved by the noted artists gaggini and ma bagliani rag liani were arranged to move in procession to the manger at other th er celebrated cribs include the one at caserta italy where the most fa bambino in the world is annually laid in the manger amid traditional dit ional pomp and solemnity and the krippe at oberammergau where the figure of the christ child has been a possession of the lange family for many generations during buting the renaissance the presentation sen tation of the crib became increasingly crea singly elaborate the figures were more realistic and richly dressed the devotional shrines and processions professions process ions becoming highly ornate pageants later naples was famed as the city of cribs every church had its and families erected evergreen shrines on the flat rooftops of their dwellings the background being dominated by vesuvius and the beautiful starlit sky |
