Christmas trees are not really an Italian tradition, but
are starting to become more popular in Italy. Some
shops, hotels, and restaurants display small trees and
decorations are usually fairly simple, often just lights.
In addition to the always grand tree at the Vatican in
Saint Peter’s Square, the City of Rome usually erects
large Christmas trees in Piazza Venezia, next to the
Coliseum and in front of the Museums on the
Capitoline Hill. This year’s Vatican tree is a 70 year
old, 82 foot tall, white fir from the Italian region of
Calabria. It has a peculiar double trunk, where two
trunks joined together as one. The tree lighting
ceremony is on December 19th and coincides with the
illumination and unveiling of the nativity scene which
has an Opera theme this year. The nativity is a gift from
the Foundation named “Verona for the Arena” which
has as its intention to promote Italian opera throughout
the world. Twenty-five life size terracotta figures will
depict “The Nativity Scene in Opera” and are based on
characters from the lighthearted Italian comic opera
“The Elixir of Love” by Gaetano Donizetti.
In a tree lighting ceremony using a video link from the
Vatican, Pope Francis on Sunday evening Dec. 7, 2014,
touched a button using a tablet computer and switched
on a giant Christmas tree designed in lights on a hillside
above the Umbrian town of Gubbio in Italy. The tree
created from one thousand colored lights was recorded
in 1991 in the Guinness Book of Records as being the
largest Christmas tree in the world, measuring about
750 meters (2,460 ft.) tall by 450 meters (1,475 ft.)
wide. Pope Francis in his address said “Good evening, I
wish you a happy and holy Christmas. In switching on
the light of the Nativity scene, we wish for the light of
Christ to be in us. A Christmas without light is not
Christmas. Let there be light in the soul, in the heart; let
there be forgiveness to others; let there be no hostilities,
which are dark. Let there be the beautiful light of
Jesus. This is my wish for all of you, when you turn on
the light of the crib. Many thanks for your gift, it is
beautiful. Also I give to you my warmest wishes, peace
and happiness. If you have something dark in your soul,
ask the Lord for forgiveness. Christmas is a great
opportunity to cleanse the soul, eh! Do not fear, the
priest is merciful, forgiving all in the name of God,
because God forgives everything. Let light be in your
hearts, in your families, in your cities. And now, with
this wish, turn on the light. Blessed be God Almighty,
the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Merry
Christmas and pray for me.”
Sources: Patheos.com, RomeReports.com, News.VA
Vatican Corner 12-21-14
