IMAGE: CNS/Paul Haring
By Junno Arocho Esteves
VATICAN CITY (CNS) — A Nativity scene and Christmas tree,
like those displayed in St. Peter’s Square, are visible reminders of God’s
benevolence and closeness to all men and women, Pope Francis said.
The traditional Christmas displays are “the signs of
the heavenly Father’s compassion, of his participation and closeness to
humanity who experience not being abandoned in dark times, but instead visited
and accompanied in their difficulties,” the pope said.
“Every year, the Christmas Nativity scene and tree
speak to us through their symbolic language. They make more visible what is
captured in the experience of the birth of the Son of God,” Pope Francis
said Dec. 7 in a meeting with delegations from Poland and Italy, responsible respectively for the
2017 Vatican Christmas tree and Nativity scene.
The centerpiece of the Vatican’s Christmas holiday decorations
is the towering 92-foot spruce tree.
Measuring nearly 33 feet in diameter, the tree was donated
by the Archdiocese of Elk, Poland, and transported to the Vatican on a flatbed
truck traveling over 1,240 miles across central Europe.
Thanking the members of the Polish delegation, the pope said
the tree’s soaring height “motivates us to reach out ‘toward the highest
gifts'” and to rise above the clouds to experience “how beautiful and
joyful it is to be immersed in the light of Christ.”
“The tree, which comes from Poland this year, is a sign
of the faith of that people who, also with this gesture, wanted to express
their fidelity to the see of Peter,” the pope said.
The Nativity scene was donated by the Benedictine Abbey of
Montevergine, located in southern Italy. Created in a traditional 18th-century Neapolitan
style, it covers a surface of over 860 square feet and features 20 terracotta
figures, some as tall as 6 feet.
The representation of the night of Jesus’ birth, the pope
said, is “inspired by the works of mercy” and is a reminder
“that Jesus told us: ‘Do to others what you would have them do to you.'”
“The crib is the evocative place where we contemplate
Jesus who, taking upon himself human misery, invites us to do the same through
act of mercy,” Pope Francis said.
As it was last year, the Christmas tree was adorned with
ornaments made by children receiving treatment at several Italian hospitals.
“These children, with their parents, participated in a
ceramics recreational therapy program” organized by the Countess Lene
Thune Foundation for young boys and girls suffering from oncological and
hematological disorders, the Vatican said Oct. 25.
Additionally, children from the central Italian Archdiocese
of Spoleto-Norcia, which was devastated by earthquakes in 2016, also made
ornaments for the Christmas tree.
Pope Francis thanked the children and told them their
ornaments are a personal witness of Jesus “who made himself a child like
you to tell you that he loves you.”
After the Vatican’s tree-lighting ceremony later that
evening, he added, “pilgrims and visitors from around the world will be
able to admire your work.”
“Tonight, when the lights of the nativity scene are
turned on and the Christmas tree lights up, even the wishes you have transmitted
through your decorative works will be bright and seen by everyone,” he
said.
The tree will remain in St. Peter’s Square until the feast
of the Lord’s Baptism Jan. 7, the Vatican said.
– – –
Follow Arocho on Twitter: @arochoju.
– – –
Copyright © 2017 Catholic News Service/U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. www.catholicnews.com. All rights reserved. Republishing or redistributing of CNS content, including by framing or similar means without prior permission, is prohibited. You may link to stories on our public site. This copy is for your personal, non-commercial use only. To request permission for republishing or redistributing of CNS content, please contact permissions at cns@catholicnews.com.
