The Revolution began in France and it is in France that it must be defeated. The Traditionalists of France are the vanguard of the Counter-Revolutionary army.
From One Peter Five
By Julia Houck
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| Artistes roam around town breathing fire, juggling sticks aflame, and entertaining the crowd with gymnastic tricks at Le Grand Crèche Vivant. All photos taken by Maxence Malherbe. |
Here in France we celebrate the season in memorable ways, three of which I’d like to share with our Anglophone readership at OnePeterFive.
Immaculate Conception Procession
Each year, the faithful in the western regions of France gather for a procession in honor of the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The procession commenced on December 8th at 8:00 p.m. 1,300 faithful followed the Loire river in Nantes, France, where a statue of Mary floated along our route. Besides these faithful, Dominican teaching sisters and active religious of Le Rafflay joined to honor Our Lady that evening.
The faithful held lit torches with a pronouncing love for our dear Mother. We chanted the Rosary mixed with several French Marian hymns, and ended the procession by gathering to hear the operatic “Ave Maria” sung by Thérèse Brunet, while the statue of Our lady floated nearby and sprung fireworks as a final celebration.
Grand Crèche Vivant
The first living nativity scene is attributed to Saint Francis of Assisi in 1223, taken by the saint’s meditation on the life of Christ and visits to the Holy Land. In the biography of St. Francis, St. Bonaventure writes that a few years before his death, Francis wished to celebrate the Nativity of the Lord with the greatest possible solemnity. Having first obtained permission from the pope, Francis went to work on constructing a real-life crèche scene, using real animals – an ox and an ass – and a crib lined with hay. The Franciscan friars and faithful were invited to join and take part in the performance at midnight. Candles lit the dark night, while hymns were sung, followed by Holy Mass over the manger. It is said that a virtuous noble man named John claimed to see a child asleep in the crib and that St. Francis had taken the child and cradled it in his arms. This is the beginning of the centuries-long tradition of the Nativity scene.
800 years of tradition still lives on today. The weekend of December 14 and 15 marked the living Nativity scenes of 2024.
The director of the Crèches Vivant explains the history of the new tradition in west France:
Nearly ten years ago, a few families from the Saint-Louis priory in Nantes, France had the idea of creating a living nativity scene, offering a representation of the Nativity in the heart of the city. Since then, an association has been created to develop this initiative, and is supported by many volunteers. The scenario of this performance has been enriched with a lively story, with costumes and stage props produced. The enthusiasm generated by this project has encouraged more and more families to participate in this annual event.
Today, around 250 actors, both parents and children, gather one weekend before Christmas for two performances that attract a large audience. Nearly 1,000 people now attend each of the two living nativity scenes, one taking place in the heart of the city, the other in a rural setting. Through these representations of the Nativity, Christ the King is honored in the public square, touching hearts and, by the grace of God, converting the souls of people of good will.
The story begins with Michelangelo being requested to paint the scene of the nativity from the Vatican. An Angel appears and takes him back in time to see the events himself. The 250 person cast is brought together to create an active town of Bethlehem, re-enacting the night of Joseph and Mary seeking shelter. They ask several markets in town for a place to stay, yet no one welcomes them, so they are led to reside in a stable where Christ is born and brought among us in poverty. Angels surround the Holy Family and the three kings process with gifts, followed by the entire town of Bethlehem gathering to honor our newborn King.
Les Crèches de Noël
Finally, we have Les Crèches de Noël, made from moss, rocks, wood and whatever can be found in nature. The nativity scenes present the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem. Locals roam the town, workers are running their markets, shepherds and animals creep through the land, all while Jesus is born in their midst.
These nativity scenes can be found in churches, homes, schools, or even in towns with huge displays. This keeps hold of the French tradition, dating to the 13th century.
The Crèche below is the first prize winner out of some students’ creations.
Two students remarked on the importance of creating these traditional nativity scenes:
“It’s important to transmit the religion for people to understand the meaning behind Christmas. It’s apostolic and to pass on the truth of the Nativity is a beautiful thing to do.”
Here is another detailed crèche with the stone made of paper
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