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The Vatican’s Christmas tree, a 27-metre-high red fir from the north Italian province of\u00a0Bolzano, will be lit up in St Peter’s Square alongside a large-scale Nativity scene on Sunday 7 December at 18.30.<\/p>\n
The\u00a0towering tree was donated by the alpine municipalities of Lagundo and Val d\u2019Ultimo,\u00a0along with around 40 smaller trees\u00a0which have been\u00a0placed in various Vatican offices and buildings.<\/p>\n
The\u00a0mature trees were chosen as part of a natural renewal process and felled in line with sustainable reforestation practices, according to Vatican News.<\/p>\n
Bishop Ivo Muser of Bolzano-Bressanone\u00a0stressed that\u00a0\u201cthe felling of the tree is not an act of disrespect but the result of careful forest management, where tree removal is part of an active care strategy that ensures the health of the forest and control its growth.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Vatican lights up its Christmas tree in St Peter\u2019s Square tonight. Magical. pic.twitter.com\/SQxezOBYWi<\/a>\u2014 Wanted in Rome (@wantedinrome) December 9, 2023<\/a><\/p>\n Last year\u00a0the Vatican’s Christmas tree\u00a0was the subject of controversy, after an\u00a0appeal to Pope Francis\u00a0to spare the 200-year-old\u00a0“green giant”\u00a0in the Val di Ledro forest was ignored.<\/p>\n Tradition<\/strong><\/p>\n The festive tradition in St Peter’s Square\u00a0began in 1982 after a Polish farmer presented Pope John Paul II\u00a0with a\u00a0Christmas tree that he had transported all the way\u00a0from Poland.<\/p>\n Every year since then,\u00a0the Vatican accepts a Christmas tree donated by a different European country or region of Italy.<\/p>\n Alongside the Christmas tree in Piazza San Pietro, the Vatican installs a large-scale Nativity scene, which is different every year.<\/p>\n Nativity scene<\/strong><\/p>\n This Christmas, the Nativity scene comes from the Nocera Inferiore-Sarno diocese in Italy’s southern Campania region.\u00a0<\/p>\n The Nativity scene incorporates elements and traditions typical of the Nocera area, including references to\u00a0local spiritual figures including Sant’Alfonso Maria de Liguori, along with shepherds and fishermen.<\/p>\n Saint Alfonso (1696-1787) is best known in Italy for composing the beloved Italian Christmas carol Tu scendi dalle stelle<\/em> (From Starry Skies Descending).<\/p>\n Two\u00a0zampognari bagpipers\u00a0will provide musical accompaniment to the\u00a0scene which will be dominated by a large luminous comet whose tail will take the shape of an anchor.<\/p>\n Photo Shutterstock<\/em><\/p>\n