VATICAN CORNER
A Va!can official says a statement made by Pope Francis about Christmas fes!vi!es happening while the world is at war has been “grossly mistranslated” by media. In his homily what he actually said was, “We are close to Christmas: there will be lights, there will be par!es, bright trees, even na!vity scenes — all decked out — while the world con!nues to wage war.” “The Pope referred to the sad state of the world at present and how even in the midst of all the decora!ons of the season, the world has not learned the way of peace.” “In light of the serious situa!on and crisis situa!on of the world, we should not cover over everything with !nsel and garlands and external decora!ons.” His remarks were made six days a(er the November 13 Paris shoo!ngs and suicide bombings that le( 130 people dead. The Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) claimed responsibility for the deadliest a’acks on France since the Second World War. ‘Jesus weeps’
This year’s St. Peter’s Square Christmas tree was donated by the German region of Bavaria. It is an 82 foot tall Spruce fir. The Na!vity scene with its twenty-four life sized figures carved from wood was donated by the Archdiocese of Trento of the Dolomite Mountains of northern Italy, collabora!ng with the Friends of the Crib group. Apart from the figures of Mary, Joseph, Baby Jesus and the three Magi, the other figures are accurate representa!ons of rural Tren!no people and buildings from the mid-twen!eth century. One figure was a man bending over to help an elderly man in an act of mercy. The Christmas tree and the Na!vity scene were set up and unveiled earlier than usual this year to be ready for the opening of the Year of Mercy on December 8th. In prepara!on for that extraordinary event, which began with the opening of the Holy Door in St. Peter’s Basilica, Va!can workmen broke through the masonry that had walled off the door. Cardinal Comastri the archpriest of the basilica had led a ceremony that included prayers and a procession on the eve of the anniversary of the basilica’s dedica!on in 1626. Four Va!can workmen then used a pickax to break through a por!on of the wall that covered the Holy Door from inside the basilica. They removed a sealed metal box that, in keeping with tradi!on had been embedded in the wall at the end of the Jubilee Year of 2000. The zinc box was opened with a blowtorch and inside was the keys and handles for opening the holy door. Also inside were commemora!ve medals and a papal gold coin marking the last Holy Year. The Christmas tree decora!ons are par!cularly colorful this year. The Va!can joined forces with the Countess Lene Thun Founda!on, recrea!ng painted ceramic ornaments made by children suffering from cancer. The Founda!on offers recrea!on therapy to children in oncology wards across Italy. The children were asked to come up with designs that represent their dreams and desires. Some of the children who designed the decora!ons met Pope Francis at the Tree unveiling and presented him with some of the decora!ons they made. Sources: Va!can Radio, Catholic News Service, cbc.ca