3 beautiful cave nativity scenes from around the world

Oliver Bowerman • December 6, 2024

Christmas just wouldn't be the same without nativity scenes. Discover 3 beautiful examples held in caves.

Most nativity scenes depict Baby Jesus in the manger. But did you know Jesus was once believed to have been born in a cave?

This was the view of several of the Early Church Fathers, including Justin Martyr, Origen and Jerome. In the fourth century AD, Emperor Constantine turned the cave where Jesus was supposed to have been born into a holy site.

Their argument was that the inhabitants of Bethlehem housed their animals in caves, not barns. The barn scene was a Western imposition on an Eastern story.

Whatever the truth of the Bible story, the nativity is an integral part of the Christmas experience. Isn't it fitting, therefore, that some of the world's most striking nativity scenes should take place in caves?

Perhaps it's the stalactites dangling like icicles or the flowstone gleaming like a Christmas cake, but there is something oh-so-festive about naturally occurring caves.

Don't believe us? Pay us a visit here at Stump Cross Caverns and see for yourself. In the meantime, here are three beautiful cave nativity scenes from around the world.

Postojna Cave, Slovenia

Postojna Cave is more than just a cave. It's a cave network, carved out over the course of millions of years by the Pivka River. It was first written about in the 17th century, but graffiti dates from 1213 (we don't condone graffiti, but it sure is useful for historians).

The network stretches to 25 kilometres – and every year, a five-kilometre stretch is dedicated to Bible story reenactments, including the nativity.

More than 100 actors act out 18 Biblical scenes, with musicians and vocalists adding an angelic soundtrack.

Concert Hall, known for its exceptional acoustics, has sufficient space for 10,000 people. Symphony orchestras, octets and a variety of soloists perform here.

You might be surprised to learn that caves have a long history as a venue for music. The natural acoustics add a hauntingly beautiful atmosphere. So, it's no wonder that the Postojna living nativity makes great use of musicians from all across the world.

The same goes for lighting. Drenched in light, Postojna's rock formations gleam, glisten and glow. The lights pick out details you might otherwise miss, enhancing the mood of mystery and wonder.

All in all, it's a fittingly enchanting tribute to a 2,000-year-old tale.

Greccio, Italy

Greccio is a mediaeval cliffside village in Rieti province, around 80 kilometres north of Rome. With its rustic stone houses and ancient forest, it could be a picture torn from a history book.

Today, Greccio is perhaps most famous as a stop in a pilgrimage route in honour of St Francis of Assisi.

It all dates back to 1223 when St Francis decided to put on the first recorded nativity scene – and he chose a cave for his stage. Ever since, pilgrims have flocked to the area to reconnect with the nativity story.

So, on Christmas Eve, 1223, Francis held Midnight Mass and staged a re-enactment of the nativity story. Villagers acted out the parts, with a rag doll as the infant Christ.

Like much history from that time, the details are a little vague. It's thought, however, that St Francis was asked by the Lord of Greccio to come from Assisi – some 90 kilometres south – to preach to the villagers.

If you know one thing about Francis, it's probably that he loved nature – and this was one reason why he decided to stay in a rustic village surrounded by ancient woodland and wild boar.

He built a sanctuary in the rock, half-dug into the cliff. Pilgrims and tourists alike can visit it to this day.

Equi Terme, Italy

If you want to climb Pizzo d'Uccello, one of the finest peaks in the Apuan Alps of Northern Tuscany, you need to begin at Equi Terme. This delightful village is perched on a steep, rocky slope – and every year, it's home to an enchanting "living nativity".

In the village's small, beautiful centre, the streets throng with people in nativity costumes, bringing to life the greatest story ever told.

As you leave the village, you cross a wooden bridge and reach a big cave. Inside are Joseph, Mary and Baby Jesus, along with an ox and a donkey.

The cave comes alive at Christmas – but the cave network it forms part of is extraordinary all year round. It's not for nothing that UNESCO has designated the area a Geopark. Long millennia of water erosion have led to phenomenal subterranean tunnels, lakes and wells.

Why are there animals in nativity scenes?

In Christina Rossetti's famous poem "In the Bleak Midwinter", reference is made to "The ox and ass and camel" – and many nativity scenes and display feature at least a few of these animals.

This relates to the tradition that Jesus was born in a barn. But the animals in question are taken from The Book of Isaiah, a text written some 700 years before the nativity: "The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master's crib; but Israel doth not know, my people doth not consider".

What's on at Stump Cross Caverns this Christmas?

Here at the caves, we love to explore different activities and events. Between 30 November and Christmas Eve, we've got a calendar packed with more goodies than a stocking.

Santa is paying us a visit, setting up his grotto and sharing gifts and wishes with children from up and down the country. Visitors then get to make special reindeer food to take home for Rudolph and the gang.

But there's more: a screening of a classic Christmas flick, a cave quiz, warming food and drink in the cafe and, of course, the caves themselves.

Explore our underground kingdom with its stalagmites and stalactites – and after 3 PM, see it fluoresce and change colour under UV torches in our glow-in-the-dark cave tour.

So, if you're looking for a family day out in the Yorkshire Dales this Christmas season, check out our festive experiences today. We look forward to giving you a warm Yorkshire welcome – no matter how nippy it might be outside…

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