Nothing brings to mind the real meaning of Advent and Christmas more than seeing a Nativity scene — a lovely remembrance of the birth of Christ. That's why this year, as in several years past, the Hospital Sisters of St. Francis will be hosting a three-afternoon Nativity Festival at the Chiara Center on the grounds of the motherhouse at 4875 LaVerna Road in Springfield.

The Nativity Festival will be held: Friday, Dec. 5 from 2-7 p.m.; Saturday, Dec. 6 from noon-4 p.m.; and Sunday, Dec. 7 from noon-4 p.m. The event is free and open to the public and light refreshments will be offered.

"We will have more than 100 Nativity sets in the festival on loan to us from individuals throughout central Illinois," said Brian Blasco, director of Communications/provincial archivist for the Hospital Sisters of St. Francis. "A majority of the sets are new to the festival."

Visitors to the Nativity Festival will also be invited to tour St. Francis of Assisi Church. The 90-year-old Romanesque church also features a permanent Nativity shrine.

The large Nativity is a replica of the shrine to the infant Jesus in the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem. The scene was added to the church in 2007 and its clay figures were created by Helmut Bourger in the ceramic studio of Gregor Leechen in Germany. A figure of St. Francis in included in the scene and the artist recreated his clothing from photographs taken of the habit worn by St. Francis.

"This event at the Chiara Center celebrates what St. Francis of Assisi began in 1223 with recreating the scene on that first Christmas through a display," said Blasco. "It also celebrates how various cultures have depicted that story through various artistic forms and furthermore, how individuals have treasured their unique Nativity sets that have become part of their Christmas tradition."

For more information on the event, call (217) 523-0901.

St. Francis and Christmas — a short history

It was in the year 1223 that St. Francis of Assisi was the first person to create a living image of Jesus' birth.

St. Francis believed Christmas was the dearest of feasts as it was at Jesus' birth that he became "one of us." Because he wanted to bring the message of Christmas to the people of Greccio, Italy, St. Francis borrowed animals — a donkey and an ox — and in a cave on the outskirts of town, he assembled a manger with hay. He gathered people at the scene and they met at midnight on Christmas Eve, carrying torches and candles to give light to the darkness around the statue of the infant Jesus.

It is said that St. Francis was so moved by that first Nativity that he wept and was unable to even utter the name of Jesus. Instead he preached to the people and called Jesus "the Babe of Bethlehem."

Thanks to St. Francis, the people who witnessed that Christmas event began to understand the meaning of the celebration — and people all over the world began displaying Nativity scenes in church and in their homes in honor of the birth of Christ.