The village that is an absolute must visit during your Christmas holidays in Sabina
If Christmas is something more for you than just a simple rush to buy gifts and sweets to put under the classic plastic tree, if Christmas is the feast of love, family, mutual respect, then there’s a place in Sabina that will allow you to take in the true essence of this celebration, to go beyond an exclusively consumerist mentality: you may wish to take into consideration Greccio, in the province of Rieti, the village where the nativity scene was born.
Saint Francis and his pilgrimages in Sabina
The Reatina Valley is often called the Holy Valley because here St. Francis, during his pilgrimages, left tangible signs of his passage: to date, the four Franciscan sanctuaries of Poggio Bustone, Greccio, Fonte Colombo and Santa Maria alla Foresta, coincidentally united on the map by an ideal cross, are a constant pilgrimage destination, given the link with the Patron Saint of Italy and his biography. Among these, the best known is certainly that of Greccio, which owes much of its fame to having been the setting of the first depiction of the Nativity in history.
The birth of the manger scene, in Greccio, in 1223
It was 1223 when Francis, with the help of a local lord, Giovanni Velita, his close friend, carried out a project which he had been reflecting upon for some time: the scene of the Nativity, which the Gospel stated happened in Bethlehem, took shape and was represented materially, in order to allow everyone to see it with their own eyes. Even to the simple worshippers, who were uneducated and worked in the fields living on the little crops they grew, yet who also fervently believed.
The belief of an extreme sacrifice of a god who became man, who exposed himself to cold and misery, as the uttermost act of love and sacrifice to humanity. We conventionally trace the birth of the Nativity scene to this episode. One of the symbols of Christmas which is considered as being profoundly Christian. Something very different from the rampant consumerism that this celebration now seems doomed to depend upon.
What to see in Greccio, more than just a few reasons to visit it
Greccio, to date, looks like a scenic village that seems made of stone, as if it were a village standing on a rocky rib. This is yet another incredible attraction, near our Residences in the Borgo di Cicignano – it’s just 40 kms away. And, speaking of Greccio, there is really a lot that this small Sabine centre can offer, in terms of art, history, spirituality, nature.
The Sanctuary of Greccio, built shortly after the death of St. Francis, includes the chapel of the Nativity, and offers some contemporary environments to the ‘Poverello of Assisi’ (the poor man from Assisi), on a nucleus built previously. There is also the Church of San Michele, dating back to the 14th century, on top of a high staircase, which is also worth a visit. The scenery is outstanding, in an extremely coherent and harmonious way. A landscape that seems untamed in surrounding woods located on the edge of the white buildings that make up the village, and which are covered by paths that are a joy for trekkers and birdwatchers alike. Almost a temple of nature, a place of the spirit, where not only the faithful can find peace and rest, but where everyone’s soul can be reconciled.
Christmas markets in Greccio
Ah, we almost forgot: in Greccio, there’s also lots of fun to be had! If you choose to book a stay during the Christmas period in our facilities, we will be happy to provide you with all the necessary information for the Christmas markets set up along the village streets, including all the gastronomic and cultural events organized it has to offer. An incredibly rich menu, in every way!
