Analysis Summary:

The CBS article is mostly accurate regarding the origin of Nativity scenes being attributed to St. Francis of Assisi in 1223. The article presents a generally positive and reverential tone towards the subject matter, but it doesn't exhibit significant bias. Some details, like the specific purpose of inspiring townspeople, are not directly verifiable with the provided sources, but are plausible.

Detailed Analysis:

• Claim:** In 1223, in Italy, St. Francis of Assisi created the very first Nativity scene as we know it.
  • Verification Source #1: Supports the claim that St. Francis of Assisi created the first Nativity scene in Greccio, Italy.
  • Verification Source #5: Supports the idea of Nativity scenes bringing the "very first Christmas to life."
• Claim:** Meant to inspire the local townspeople.
• This claim is not directly verified by the provided sources. While Verification Source #1 mentions Greccio, it doesn't explicitly state the purpose was to inspire townspeople. This is plausible and commonly accepted, but relies on internal knowledge due to lack of direct source coverage.
• Claim:** Each crèche is an artistic expression of personal faith.
• This is a general statement and not directly verifiable with the provided sources, but aligns with the overall context and is a reasonable interpretation.
• Claim:** Correspondent Nikki Battiste talks with professor Eric Barreto of the Princeton Theological Seminary about the history of Nativities, and visits the University of Dayton's Marian Library collection of Nativities from around the world. She also checks out a living Nativity scene in Mount Laurel, N.J.
• This is a descriptive statement about the video's content and cannot be verified with the provided sources, as they do not describe the CBS video itself.

Supporting Evidence/Contradictions:

• Verification Source #1: "Christmas is year-round in Greccio, a small cliffside village in Lazio. The reason? This is where St Francis of Assisi created the world's first nativity scene." This strongly supports the claim that St. Francis created the first Nativity scene.
• Verification Source #5: "Imagine the ultimate Christmas story diorama – that's a Nativity scene! It's like bringing the very first Christmas to life with miniature figurines." This supports the general idea of Nativity scenes representing the first Christmas.
• The other sources (Verification Source #2, #3, and #4) are less relevant, focusing on modern Nativity sets and crafts, rather than the historical origin.