Editing Greccio (section)

===Sanctuary of Greccio===
{{main|Sanctuary of Greccio}}
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[[File:Chapel of the First Live Nativity.jpg|thumb|The chapel of the first living nativity scene located in the [[Sanctuary of Greccio]]]]
The [[Sanctuary of Greccio|Hermitage of Greccio Sanctuary]] ({{langx|it|Santuario Eremo di Greccio}}) is one of the four shrines erected by [[Francis of Assisi|Saint Francis of Assisi]] in the [[Rieti Valley|Sacred Valley]], along with the Sanctuary of Fonte Colombo, the Sanctuary of the Forest, and the convent of [[Poggio Bustone]]. Francis presented the first living [[Nativity scene]] in a nearby cave in December 1223.<ref name="santuario-francescano"/>

Inside there are frescoes modern and original chapel of the saint carved in the rock.<ref name="santuario-francescano"/> Francis, recalling a visit he had made years before to Bethlehem, resolved to create the manger he had seen there. The ideal spot was a cave in nearby Greccio. He would find a baby, hay upon which to lay him, an ox, and an ass to stand beside the manger. Word went out to the people of the town.<ref name="santuario-francescano"/>

At the appointed time, the townspeople arrived carrying torches and candles. One of the friars began celebrating Mass while Francis himself gave the sermon.<ref name="santuario-francescano"/> His biographer, [[Thomas of Celano]], recalls that Francis stood before the manger, overwhelmed with love and filled with a wonderful happiness. For Francis, the simple celebration was meant to recall the hardships Jesus suffered even as an infant, a savior who chose to become poor for our sake, a truly human Jesus. The Sanctuary of Greccio may be visited.<ref name="viadifrancescolazio"/>