A Christmas creche is commonly known as a nativity scene. or as
a manger scene. St Fancis of Assisi created the first nativity
scene in 1223 in Greccio, Italy.
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St. Francis of Assisi is credited with creating the first
nativity scene in the year 1223 in a cave near Greccio, Italy. It
was a living nativity with humans and animals cast in the gospel
roles.
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Saint Francis of Assisi - At Greccio near Assisi, around 1220, Francis celebrated Christmas by setting up the first known presepio or creche (Nativity scene). He used actual people and live animals to portray the figures.