The Vatican Christmas Tree

The Vatican Christmas Tree shortly after the lights were turned on. December 13, 2013. Photo by Trisha Thomas
The Vatican Christmas Tree shortly after the lights were turned on. December 13, 2013. Photo by Trisha Thomas

There are stories that we cover year after year in Italy, and one is the lighting of the Vatican Christmas tree, and although it doesn’t involve much journalistic skill, I enjoy doing it because it puts me in the Christmas spirit.  The lighting ceremony was this past Friday and here are a few of my photos from the event.

Shortly after I arrived in the square, AP television Cameraman, Pietro De Cristofaro and I, joined the other photographers, journalists, and camerapersons gathered under the tree waiting for the ceremony to begin.

The 25 meter, 7 ton tree was brought to the Vatican from the Bavarian region of Germany last week and, with a team of helmeted workers and a large crane, set up in the square.

I got a close up look at some of the decorations from underneath.

A view from Under the Vatican Christmas Tree. December 13, 2013. Photo by Trisha Thomas
A view from Under the Vatican Christmas Tree. December 13, 2013. Photo by Trisha Thomas

And here is a close-up of a ball.  You can see my reflection in it as I take the photo while standing in the middle of the square.

A decoration on the Vatican Christmas Tree. December 13, 2013. Photo by Trisha Thomas
A decoration on the Vatican Christmas Tree. December 13, 2013. Photo by Trisha Thomas

As the ceremony began a marching band paraded into the square.  Since I had some free time, I snuck up on the man playing the horn to try to get a photo of Saint Peter’s Basilica reflected in it.  Can you see it?

The reflection of St. Peter's Basilica and Bernini's Colonnade reflected in the horn used by a member of the marching band in the Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony in St. Peter's Square. December 13, 2013. Photo by Trisha Thomas
The reflection of St. Peter’s Basilica and Bernini’s Colonnade reflected in the horn used by a member of the marching band in the Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony in St. Peter’s Square. December 13, 2013. Photo by Trisha Thomas

While I was busy taking fun photos, Pietro was doing the real work, getting the shots of the tree we needed for AP Television.

AP Television Cameraman Pietro De Cristofaro films the Vatican Christmas Tree. December 13, 2013. Photo by Trisha Thomas

Pope John Paul II of Poland began the tradition of having a Christmas Tree in St. Peter’s Square in the 1980s and it has continued ever since.

Alongside the tree there will be a traditional nativity scene.

And finally after a long series of speeches, as my feet were becoming seriously cold, they turned on the lights.

CLOSE LIGHTS

And here are some more lights with St. Peter’s in the background.

The lights on the Vatican Christmas Tree with St. Peter's Basilica in Background. December 13, 2013. Photo by Trisha Thomas
The lights on the Vatican Christmas Tree with St. Peter’s Basilica in Background. December 13, 2013. Photo by Trisha Thomas

By the time the tree lights were turned on, the crowd had grown.  I interviewed a tiny, elderly nun named Sister Elena from Bolzano, Italy who stood staring that the lights mesmerized.  “The tree is beautiful,” she told me,  “I am happy that by coincidence I found myself right here, I waited for a bit, and now I am enjoying the beauty.”

I also spoke to Esther Lee from Korea who said she just arrived in Rome yesterday and happened to be coming out of St. Peter’s Basilica when she heard about the lighting ceremony.  She stuck around and was glad she did.

Finally — feeling chilled from head to toe — we left the brightly lighted Christmas tree and headed back to the office.

St. Peter's Square with its glowing Christmas Tree. December 13, 2013. Photo by Trisha Thomas
St. Peter’s Square with its glowing Christmas Tree. December 13, 2013. Photo by Trisha Thomas

 

 

14 thoughts on “The Vatican Christmas Tree”

  1. Amazing that they can have decorations on it, and they don’t get stolen. And theologically interesting that the visuals for Christmas, even at the Vatican, have shifted over the centuries – it was St. Francis who first put a creche in a church, and it was very frowned upon then by the Bishops, who wanted only the candle as the sign of Christ’s birth. Now, the Tree is the visual announcement of Christmas. And the band playing carols, which change with the years, too. I think the oldest of carols, the Phos Hilaron, is about Christ the Light.
    Thanks for the photos, all of which are essays about light, each in its own way.

    1. Actually, the Christmas Tree is very much a northern European tradition — and it is relevant that Pope John Paul II from Northern Europe brought the tradition to the Vatican. The use of the Creche is much more popular in Italy and many families — including my in-laws — prepare elaborate, beautiful creche scenes, but do not have a tree. In Naples there is a street filled with artisans dedicated to making gorgeous handmade figures for all the creches. Some day I will do a blog post on that street. It is called Via San Gregorio Armeno.

  2. How lovely! Hope your feet have warmed up. We are off to enjoy the lights at Longwood Gardens after Helen’s final exams. The beautiful lights of the season always bring out the joy in the season for me. I think of the thousand points of light and that we each can do one kind act to share Gods love. The twinkling Christmas Tree lights remind me of the good in the world.Merry Christmas!

    1. Ah, the lights at Longwood Gardens — I always loved going through there with my grandparents! Yes, my feet finally did warm up, but this week I am headed to Boston where it is a lot colder than it is in Rome and I think I better find myself some better shoes for the cold!! Merry Christmas to all the Waltons!

  3. I was in Rome last Christmas and loved the trees – there are others in Piazza Venezia, the Colosseum and the Spanish Steps. I didn’t know they were a Northern European tradition.
    I was also in Via San Gregorio Armeno the day before Epiphany (Jan 6th) this year and loved seeing the Neapolitan and other Italian families buying their presepe figures. I just assumed Catholics celebrated Christmas in similar ways. Not so. I loved being immersed in the Italian Catholic Christmas traditions which are very different from ours – which these days mostly revolve around stress and spending money.
    Wishing you a wonderful time in Boston with your family, Trisha – and a healthy and prosperous new year. Safe travels.

    1. Kathy — I hope you don’t think I was being too disparaging of Italian Christmas traditions. I really do love the nativity scenes…especially the elaborate ones with little fountains with running water, and ringing bells and all sorts of additional figures. I guess I am just very attached to my New England traditions which are Christmas cookie backing, Christmas Carols, cutting down our own Christmas tree in the New England woods, egg nog in front of the fire, Christmas cards… but I do apologize if I sounded like I was being critical of Italian Christmas celebrations. And I totally agree with you that the consumerism surrounding it all has gone over the top.

      1. Oh Trisha – I’m sorry if my post came across that way but in no way was I thinking you were disparaging of Italian traditions – far from it! I love your New England traditions too – I am often rummaging through my Martha Stewart Living collection and wistfully dreaming of snow, eggnog, big fluffy fir trees and cookies.
        We have a Canadian teacher on exchange at my school and she was saying how low key Australian celebrations are – it’s something I had never thought about but she is right. I can’t think of a single Christmas tradition that is uniquely Australian.
        I love traditions – they are comforting and give us a sense of being part of something big and enduring and it’s so good to read about yours in New England and the Italian ways. It would be great to see a blog post on your Italian kids and their participation in Christmas in Boston. I’m sure they think it’s amazing!

        1. It is funny — I’ve been thinking that I really want to do a blog post on New England Christmas Traditions, but a little part of me wants to leave my computer in Rome, so I can spend more time enjoying it.

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