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Nativity SceneThe Nativity refers to the birth of Jesus Christ.
According to the Bible Jesus was born in the city of Bethlehem in a stable, surrounded by farm animals and shepherds. The baby Jesus was born into a manger from the Virgin Mary assisted by her husband Joseph. The odd location of the birth was the result of the refusal of a nearby inn to accommodate the expecting couple. Three wise men were also said to have visited the event, bearing gifts. Remembering or re-creating the Nativity is one of the central ways Christians celebrate Christmas. In Christian churches children will often perfom plays re-creating the events of the Nativity, or sing some of the numerous Christmas carols that reference the event. A nativity scene, also called a crib or crèche (meaning "crib" or "manger" in French) generally refers to any depiction of the birth or birthplace of Jesus. Nativity scenes, in two dimensions (drawings, paintings, etc.) or three (sculpture or other three-dimensional crafts), usually show Jesus in a manger, Joseph, and Mary in a barn intended for the housing of animals. A mule and an ox surround them, after the Apocryphal Gospels. The scene sometimes includes three wise men, shepherds, angels and the Star of Bethlehem. They are placed around Christmas in Catholic homes, churches and parks. A life-sized one is on Piazza San Pietro in the Vatican City. Its origin is attributed to St Francis of Assisi. The tradition was brought into Spain from Naples during the reign of Charles III of Spain. Also see:
This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from Wikipedia and from ShiningRise.com
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