503K views · 7.5K reactions | DIY Christmas tree with nativity scene inside | Viral Clip | Facebook

274K views · 3.8K reactions | Have you watched the evening unveiling of this year's Vatican Nativity scene, made of sand? It was revealed at dusk in St. Peter's Square, with Christmas carols in the air; the footage is sure to get you in the holiday spirit! #VaticanNativity #SandSculpture | Aleteia English | Facebook

The Nativity—recreated in Christian plays and tableau as a reminder of the birth of Jesus. But did you know that only the Gospel of Matthew and Luke describe Jesus’s birth? Wise men are mentioned in Matthew, and shepherds in Luke, but never together! And no mention of any animals. It may have been St. Francis of Assisi in 1223 who originated much of our modern-day ideas for a Nativity scene. It’s said he built a manger and filled it with hay, and included two live animals. And villagers were inv