It is believed that Saint Francis of Assisi is at the origins of the first nativity scene on Christmas Eve. In the 13th century, he setted up a living nativity scene, with humans and animals performing around an empty manger, the feeding trough of farm animals which served as Jesus’ crib. Either using model figures or reenactments, this tradition spread out throughout the world, way beyond the Adriatic-Ionian Region.

One of the famous pilgrimage path in the Adriatic-Ionian Region is the Via Francigena, certified “Cultural Route of the Council of Europe” in 1994. The 1 700 km route is documented mainly through travel diaries, and in particular the records in the 10^th century of Sigeric, Archbishop of Canterbury. The Via Francigena was a communication path which contributed to the cultural unity of Europe in the Middle Ages.

If you enjoyed this story from the Adriatic-Ionian Region, we recommend you:
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* Can a Roman Emperor from the Danube Region be at the origins of Christmas day?