Santa Maria Maggiori (3)

This church holds a piece of what is described as the "original" Christmas Crib. I haven't been able to work out whether this means the first depiction of Christ's birth in a stable, which was set up by St Francis with real people and animals, the manger in which Jesus was actually lain, or some else.

Whichever it is, it is contained in very elaborate reliquary that I'm afraid reminded me of a very large soup tureen, with the baby Jesus as the handle! I wonder how many years in purgatory I get for that thought!