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In Provence, some say that Saint Francis, traditionally known as
the inventor of the Presepio, followed the example of his mother,
‘Madonna’ Pica born in Provence, southern France. Examples
of the Presepio of Provence are still found in churches in Marseilles,
Aix and Avignon. However French craftsmen were certainly greatly influenced
by Italian Baroque art, fashioning wooden puppet with hands and face
in terracotta or wax. Presepio were built also in homes of more affluent
families.
At the same time, 17th century, mechanical and talking Presepio
became popular. The portable Presepio was a sort of theatre with
puppets which told the Christmas story of the birth of the Saviour.
However the French Revolution swept away every type of Presepio,
in churches and private homes. It was only with the Concordat reached
between Pius VII and Napoleon that the tradition of the Presepio
returned. In the early 19th century a certain figure maker, Jean
Louis Lagnel, started producing inexpensive clay statues and at
the Christmas Market in Marseilles in 1803, even the poorest families
could buy their clay figures and the tradition spread to the humblest
of homesteads. For a long time Baby Jesus was not made of clay,
considered too poor a material to portray the Saviour of the world;
the Babe was fashioned out of fine wax, more precious and therefore
more suited to portraying the divinity of Mary's Son.
England. After the death of St. Francis, the custom of having a
crib spread throughout Europe. The crib in the house also became
popular by the 17th century owing much of its popularity to the
enthusiasm of the Franciscans. In England, the symbol of the crib
was taken further in the baking of a Christmas mince pie in an oblong
shape as a cradle for the image of the infant Jesus. Every parish
church has its Nativity Scene inside and some have larger ones on
the outside. The crib scene in the home it is not only a reminder
of the first Christmas, it is also a link with all other Christians
who have celebrated the joy of the birth of Christ through the ages.
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Fides News
Fides
News 2004