Pope Leo XIV says "before the Nativity scene, "as we contemplate the Christmas scene, we are invited to set out spiritually, drawn by the humility of the One who became man..."
Pope Leo XIV celebrated a special tradition here at the heart of Rome. At the Vatican, the Pope welcomed about 1,000 participants in the “Living Nativity”, who will process today to the Basilica of St. Mary Major.
GREETING OF HIS HOLINESS POPE LEO XIV
TO THE PERFORMERS OF THE LIVING NATIVITY SCENE
OF SANTA MARIA MAGGIORE AND TO THE NATIVITY SCENE CREATORS
Hall of Blessing on Saturday, December 13, 2025
____________________________________
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Peace be with you!
Dear brothers and sisters, good morning, welcome!
I greet His Eminence Cardinal Makrickas and all of you, who today will bring to life the “Living Nativity Scene” of Santa Maria Maggiore.
You have come from various places to bring to the Tomb of Peter the testimony of the thousand faces with which, for centuries, generations of Christians have represented the Mystery of the Incarnation, often with the features of their own culture and the landscapes of their own land. From here, you will then depart to pass through the Holy Door and celebrate the Eucharist in the Liberian Basilica, known as the "Bethlehem of the West," where the Sacred Cradle is venerated .
It was precisely that ancient relic that, together with the journey to the Holy Land, inspired Saint Francis, in 1223, to celebrate for the first time the "Christmas of Greccio," the beginning of the tradition of the Nativity scene. Since then, the custom of depicting in a variety of ways the Nativity of the Lord, of the God who "comes without weapons, without strength, [...] to conquer man's pride, violence, and lust for possession [...] and lead us to our true identity" has spread throughout the world ( Benedict XVI , Catechesis , December 23, 2009).
Pope Francis said that before the Nativity scene, "as we contemplate the Christmas scene, we are invited to set out spiritually, drawn by the humility of the One who became man to encounter every man and woman" (Apostolic Letter Admirabile Signum , 1 December 2019, 1). It is precisely so: from the grotto of Bethlehem, where Mary, Joseph, and the Child are found in their disarming poverty, we set out again to begin a new life in the footsteps of Christ. You will witness this this afternoon, with the procession that will wind through the streets of the city. It, with its choreography, costumes, and music, will be a joyful sign of how beautiful it is to be disciples of Jesus, God made man, the sun that rises "to shine on those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, and to guide our feet into the way of peace" ( Lk 1:79).
This makes you—today, but always, as a mission for your daily life—pilgrims of hope, bearers of consolation and inspiration to all you meet: to the young and the old, to the families, the young and the old you will find along your path; to those who rejoice and those who suffer, to those who are alone, to those who feel alive in their hearts the desire to love and be loved, and to those who, despite their struggles, continue to work with commitment and perseverance to build a better world.
The Nativity scene, dearest ones, is an important sign: it reminds us that we are part of a wonderful adventure of salvation in which we are never alone and that, as St. Augustine said, "God became man so that man might become God, […] so that man, an inhabitant of the earth, might find a home in heaven" ( Sermon 371 , 1). Spread this message and keep this tradition alive. They are a gift of light for our world, which so desperately needs to continue to hope. Thank you, truly thank you all for your commitment! I bless you and your families from the bottom of my heart. Merry Christmas!
Source: Vatican.va Bulletin Translation from Italian with Vatican Media Image
TO THE PERFORMERS OF THE LIVING NATIVITY SCENE
OF SANTA MARIA MAGGIORE AND TO THE NATIVITY SCENE CREATORS
Hall of Blessing on Saturday, December 13, 2025
____________________________________
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Peace be with you!
Dear brothers and sisters, good morning, welcome!
I greet His Eminence Cardinal Makrickas and all of you, who today will bring to life the “Living Nativity Scene” of Santa Maria Maggiore.
You have come from various places to bring to the Tomb of Peter the testimony of the thousand faces with which, for centuries, generations of Christians have represented the Mystery of the Incarnation, often with the features of their own culture and the landscapes of their own land. From here, you will then depart to pass through the Holy Door and celebrate the Eucharist in the Liberian Basilica, known as the "Bethlehem of the West," where the Sacred Cradle is venerated .
It was precisely that ancient relic that, together with the journey to the Holy Land, inspired Saint Francis, in 1223, to celebrate for the first time the "Christmas of Greccio," the beginning of the tradition of the Nativity scene. Since then, the custom of depicting in a variety of ways the Nativity of the Lord, of the God who "comes without weapons, without strength, [...] to conquer man's pride, violence, and lust for possession [...] and lead us to our true identity" has spread throughout the world ( Benedict XVI , Catechesis , December 23, 2009).
Pope Francis said that before the Nativity scene, "as we contemplate the Christmas scene, we are invited to set out spiritually, drawn by the humility of the One who became man to encounter every man and woman" (Apostolic Letter Admirabile Signum , 1 December 2019, 1). It is precisely so: from the grotto of Bethlehem, where Mary, Joseph, and the Child are found in their disarming poverty, we set out again to begin a new life in the footsteps of Christ. You will witness this this afternoon, with the procession that will wind through the streets of the city. It, with its choreography, costumes, and music, will be a joyful sign of how beautiful it is to be disciples of Jesus, God made man, the sun that rises "to shine on those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, and to guide our feet into the way of peace" ( Lk 1:79).
This makes you—today, but always, as a mission for your daily life—pilgrims of hope, bearers of consolation and inspiration to all you meet: to the young and the old, to the families, the young and the old you will find along your path; to those who rejoice and those who suffer, to those who are alone, to those who feel alive in their hearts the desire to love and be loved, and to those who, despite their struggles, continue to work with commitment and perseverance to build a better world.
The Nativity scene, dearest ones, is an important sign: it reminds us that we are part of a wonderful adventure of salvation in which we are never alone and that, as St. Augustine said, "God became man so that man might become God, […] so that man, an inhabitant of the earth, might find a home in heaven" ( Sermon 371 , 1). Spread this message and keep this tradition alive. They are a gift of light for our world, which so desperately needs to continue to hope. Thank you, truly thank you all for your commitment! I bless you and your families from the bottom of my heart. Merry Christmas!
Source: Vatican.va Bulletin Translation from Italian with Vatican Media Image
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