The Miracle of the Nativity and The Psychic Saint – Most traditional holiday decorations, like the Christmas tree, mistletoe, stockings, and even Santa Claus, aren’t connected to the story about the birth of Jesus. However, the nativity scene is. Traditionally a nativity is a set of figures usually grouped in a stable centered on the infant Jesus in a manger, his mother, Mary, and stepfather Joseph, by his side. Other figures can include angels, shepherds accompanied by livestock, and The Three Wisemen. The Star of Bethlehem often shines brightly upon them from above.
But how did this most Christmas of decorations come into being? The birth of Jesus was 2,000 years ago in Israel, but the events leading to the birth of the nativity scene began in a medieval dungeon. In 1202 AD, Italy was a chaotic collection of warring city-states. Even the Pope in Rome couldn’t bring unity or peace to Italy.
Giovanni di Pietro di Bernardone shivered with fever in the dark, dank dungeon. He’d been there over a year reflecting on how he’d sought fortune and glory by joining his city’s army in its war against neighboring Perugia. Then he was captured and held as a prisoner of war.
The war ended. Giovanni was freed, yet his illness worsened. He lapsed into a coma. In the zone between our world and eternity, Giovanni had a vision of a brilliant white light and a “voice” filled with love inspiring him to change his life’s direction. Today we call this a near-death experience (NDE). His fever broke. He woke and evolved into the man we know as Saint Francis of Assisi.
After his NDE, Francis had many visions during his life. Unlike schizophrenic hallucinations, his visions were coherent and provided Francis with spiritual guidance. Nevertheless, during medieval times seeing things and hearing voices others didn’t resulted in being burned at the stake for witchcraft. However, there were legal loopholes for clergy members like Francis. When clergy saw and heard things others didn’t, the Church considered them visions from the Holy Spirit.
Modern research has revealed aftereffects of an NDE include psychic ability which is the perception of information beyond the five physical senses of sight, hearing, taste, smell, and touch. Once during a deep state of prayer, Francis exhibited “stigmata.” He bled from his forehead, hands, feet, and side. Stigmata coincides with the wounds of Jesus during crucifixion inflicted by the crown of thorns, nails driven through his hands and feet and the Lance of Longinus piercing his side.
A controversial theory suggests stigmata is an advanced form of psychic ability known as channeling or trance mediumship. This occurs when someone enters the trance state, like deep prayer, and becomes a conduit for spirit communication. Was Francis a trance medium capable of manifesting stigmata?
Scientists refute stigmata as “hematohidrosis,” a rare condition generated by extreme stress which results in sweating blood. If it was hematohidrosis, why did it just affect Francis in same areas as the wounds of Jesus?
His life lasted barely 44 years, but eight centuries later his teachings of love, compassion, and peace still have universal appeal. In 1228, two years after his death, Francis of Assisi was canonized by the Catholic Church as the patron saint of animals and nature.
Sainthood requires strict proof of miracles. By definition, a miracle is an extraordinary event such as healing, or controlling nature, that is not explainable by science, which can only be attributed to divine power. The debate over the existence of miracles is a rift between faith and science. Francis is at the center of this debate.
Witnesses observed Francis aid a man covered in lesions caused by leprosy. He washed the man whose skin immediately healed.
Francis appeared to be able to communicate with animals. He was observed preaching to a flock of birds that wouldn’t leave until each one received his blessing. He also tamed a vicious wolf by “persuading” it to stop killing people.
During an audience with Pope Innocent III, Francis sought permission to found an order of priests. The pious Francis, emaciated from fasting, was so poor he didn’t even have shoes. The arrogant Church officials who lived in luxury scoffed at him—except one. The Pope knew the real deal when he saw it, fell to his knees, and kissed Francis’ bare feet.
As clerics, the Franciscan order accompanied the Fifth Crusade, whose military objective was to capture Jerusalem from the Turkish Muslims. Then they encountered the army of Sultan al-Kamil.
Somehow Francis slipped through the Turkish lines and met with the Sultan. A devout Muslim, the Sultan was impressed with Francis’ devotion. They spent five days together praying and discussing peace. Francis returned to the Crusaders with the Sultan’s peace proposal which included turning over Jerusalem to the Crusaders. Unfortunately, the greedy Crusaders wanted more and refused. They should’ve listened to Francis. Ultimately, the Sultan’s forces destroyed the Crusader army.
On the upside, the Sultan granted Franciscans safe passage to Jerusalem to found a mission which exists to this day.
After years of exhausting travels, Francis returned to Italy. At the time, most Europeans were illiterate except for scribes and clergy. In order to teach people Bible stories, clergy either read scripture to them or presented it in the form of plays. These “medieval morality plays” generally stressed the wrath of God, who cast sinners into the eternal damnation of hell. Francis decided to conduct a play but chose love over fear. And, being Italian, he had a flair for drama.
Christmas Eve 1223, eight hundred years ago this month, Francis orchestrated a play about the birth of Jesus. The humble yet world-famous Francis drew a large crowd.
The set was a cave near Greccio, Italy. Francis opened by explaining that Jesus was born in a stable. On cue, a young couple and their newborn baby portraying Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, entered the cave. Mary carefully laid the infant Jesus in a manger. Then, angels, heralds from the kingdom of heaven appeared. Francis paused for impact.
Then awestruck shepherds arrived with their livestock. The finale brought the mystical Magi, three Wisemen from the east who had followed a star to Bethlehem. The Magi humbly paid homage to the king of kings with gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
Francis wowed the crowd. It was a smash hit. Word of this spectacular nativity story spread throughout Europe. By the next Christmas, enterprising merchants were selling sets of carved nativity figurines. From cathedrals to chapels, from royalty to peasants, the nativity appeared everywhere each Christmas. Thus, the nativity scene was born.
Saint Francis of Assisi’s most famous lesson may not have included a miracle, but the enduring presence of the nativity scene every Christmas eight centuries later is nothing short of miraculous.
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