This letter from Pope Francis is available as Gaeilge and in English below. It was translated into Irish by Tadhg O Dúshláine.
2023 marks the 800th anniversary of Saint Francis of Assisi constructing the first Christmas crèche in a cave in Greccio, Italy.
LITIR ASPALDA
ADMIRABILE SIGNUM (COMHARTHA IONTACH)
AN PHÁPA PROINSIAS
AR BHRÍ AGUS AR THÁBHACH
BHEITHILÍN NA NOLLAG
1.Tá an oiread san ceana ag Críostaithe ar radharc aoibhinn bheithilín na Nollag go músclaíonn sé ionadh agus alltacht ionainn i gcónaí. Forógra lúcháireach simplí ann féin ar mhistéir ionchollú Mhac Dé is ea an léiriú ar bhreith Íosa. Tá radharc an bheithilín ar nós Soiscéal beo ag éirí ó leathanaigh na Scriptiúr Naofa. Ag machnamh dúinn ar scéal na Nollag tugtar cuireadh dúinn tosnú amach ar turas spioradálta, fé spreagadh umhlaíocht Dé a ghlac colainn dhaonna chun go gcasadh sé le gach fear agus bean. Tagaimid ar an dtuiscint go bhfuil an oiread san grá aige dúinn gur deineadh duine dínn de, chun go bhféadfaimisne bheith in éineacht leis dá réir sin.
Leis an Litir seo ba mhaith liom an traidisiún álainn teaghlaigh a bhaineann le hullmhú an bheithilín sna laethanta roimis na Nollag a spreagadh, chomh maith leis an nós é a chur suas san ionad oibre, sna scoileanna, na hospidéil, na príosúin agus i lár an bhaile. Bíonn an úsáid a bhaintear as an iliomad ábhar chun na seoda beaga áille seo a chruthú lán de shamhlaíocht agus de chruthaitheacht. Mar leanaí, foghlaimímid ónár dtuismitheoirí agus ónár seantuismitheoirí leanúint den dtraidisiún lúcháireach so, a bhfuil saibhreas dheabóid na ndaoine i dtaisce ann. Is é mo dhóchas nach gcaillfear an nós so go deo, agus aon áit a bhfuil sé tite i léig go dtiocfar air athuair agus go ndéanfar é d’athbheochan.
APOSTOLIC LETTER
ADMIRABILE SIGNUM
OF THE HOLY FATHER
FRANCIS
ON THE MEANING AND IMPORTANCE
OF THE NATIVITY SCENE
1. The enchanting image of the Christmas crèche, so dear to the Christian people, never ceases to arouse amazement and wonder. The depiction of Jesus’ birth is itself a simple and joyful proclamation of the mystery of the Incarnation of the Son of God. The nativity scene is like a living Gospel rising up from the pages of sacred Scripture. As we contemplate the Christmas story, we are invited to set out on a spiritual journey, drawn by the humility of the God who became man in order to encounter every man and woman. We come to realize that so great is his love for us that he became one of us, so that we in turn might become one with him.
With this Letter, I wish to encourage the beautiful family tradition of preparing the nativity scene in the days before Christmas, but also the custom of setting it up in the workplace, in schools, hospitals, prisons and town squares. Great imagination and creativity is always shown in employing the most diverse materials to create small masterpieces of beauty. As children, we learn from our parents and grandparents to carry on this joyful tradition, which encapsulates a wealth of popular piety. It is my hope that this custom will never be lost and that, wherever it has fallen into disuse, it can be rediscovered and revived. Full Text