"In the crypt under the high altar lies
the celebrated relic known as the Holy Crib. A statue of Pope Pius IX
kneeling before the ancient wooden pieces of the manger serves as an
example to the faithful who come to see the first humble crib of the
Savior. Pius IX's devotion to the Holy Crib led him to commission the
crypt chapel, and his coat of arms is visible above the altar" (
Vatican description).
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