San Francisco and the Nativity Scene

play by Ruth Salles

Blackboard drawing by teacher Beatriz Retz, from Escola Waldorf Aitiara, Botucatu SP.

This piece tells us how Francis of Assisi created the first nativity scene, in the year 1223, in the city of Greccio. With an ox and a real donkey and people from the surroundings, he wanted to make everyone remember the simplicity and poverty in which Jesus was born.

CHARACTERS:
Saint Francis / Brother Bernardo / Brother Silvestre / Brother Leão / Brother João de Vellita / Santa Clara with children and flowers / A carpenter and his wife / Three old men who come to donate fruit / The little rabbit and the little lamb (the little lamb can be made of white cloth ) / The ox and the donkey / People

Before or after the singing, on one side of the scene, Francisco sits on a bench, where a little rabbit leans. He has a sheep on his lap. On the other side of the scene is the forest clearing with the grotto.

FRANCISCO (sings with everyone):
“Praise be to you, my Lord
for all creatures,
and by the sun, by its heat,
and water for its freshness.
I praise the moon to shine
and the earth with so much abundance,
in those who learn to forgive,
I praise the love that endures.”

FRANCISCO (speaking):
– O cicada, cicada,
come play your violin,
for late afternoon has come,
and the sun is already sleeping.
I carry it on my knee
this little white sheep,
and a cute bunny brother
already leans on my bench.

BROTHER BERNARDO (pointing):
– Silvestre Brother, look at that
how many birds fly
around the rose garden!
they all already sing
Christmas carols.

SILVESTRE BROTHER:
– Yes, Bernardo, and everyone listens!
The ants, the bees,
the fish in the stream.
And the flowers, with their colors,
also hear the song.
(Francis puts the lamb on the bench and gets up, calling João de Vellita.)

FRANCISCO:
– Ah, brother João de Vellita,
help me prepare
a real christmas
that today we are going to celebrate.
You, being very smart,
Go look for it in your career
there in the woods very close
a cave in the clearing.
(João de Vellita goes towards the clearing and finds the grotto.)

BROTHER LION:
– Brother John is coming back!

BROTHER JOÃO DE VELLITA:
– I have already found the clearing,
with a cave inside it!

FRANCISCO:
- Now it's the manger
that Silvestre will look for.

SILVESTRE BROTHER (hurries out):
– I go on one foot and come back on the other!

FRANCISCO:
– Lion, bring the donkey and the ox!
– Bernardo, invites the people
and calls our sister Clara. (Bernardo and Leão leave.)

CARPENTER (arriving with the woman):
– What do we have here again?
What celebration are you preparing?

FRANCISCO:
- It's a crib in the open,
but full of love and light,
that reminds us of birth
of the Little Jesus.
But, sir… who would it be?

CARPENTER:
– I am a simple carpenter.

WOMAN:
– I am your wife Maria.

FRANCISCO:
– Ah, the great Creator
sent me the representatives
from the parents of the Holy Child!
Do you want to represent?
(While Francisco takes the two of them to the grotto, Silvestre arrives with the manger and puts it in place; Leão arrives with the ox and the donkey and leaves them in front of the manger; Bernardo arrives with the people and Clara with flowers in her hand and children in her arms. return.)

FRANCISCO (talks to three old men who come with the people):
– Do you want to represent?
the poor shepherds,
who came to worship
the holy Little Boy?

SHEPHERD 1:
– Sure, sure, brother!

SHEPHERD 2:
– And the fruits we brought,
we all offer.

SHEPHERD 3:
– They are given from the heart! (they will finish composing the nativity scene)

CLEAR:
- Our Lord Jesus
also give us your gift,
because he came to bring love
for everyone, everyone!

BROTHER JOÃO DE VELLITA:
– Francis and the Child Jesus
will not be represented
for a tiny baby?

FRANCISCO:
- No need, John.
he is always saved
right in our heart.

ALL (sing):
“The first crib, who built it?
Francis of Assisi, Francis of Assisi!
With an ox and a donkey
that close found.
Francis of Assisi, Francis of Assisi!
And a good carpenter, and the woman who brought
there they represent Joseph and Mary.
The shepherds are these three old men who come
until the crib coming too.
But in the manger there is a light.
Francisco bends over and takes him in his hand.
And he sees that he is carrying the Child Jesus,
full of light, full of light!”
(At that moment, Francis, who had made the gesture of taking the Child, now makes the gesture of handing him over to Mary.)

End