Rome, Italy, Oct 9, 2007 / 09:16 am
Five towns in the Italian Alps have sent a 115 foot-tall Italian fir tree to Benedict XVI to be used as the Vatican Christmas Tree, as a sign of the “generosity and religiosity” of the region.
The tree, which will be transported to Rome the first week of December, will decorate St. Peter’s Square next to the traditional Nativity scene. In mid-December it will be adorned with one thousand lights and garlands
In addition to the tree, residents of the region will donate 50 fir trees of various heights to decorate the interior halls of the Vatican. One of the trees, which will be decorated by women from the town of Val Badia, will be placed in the Paul VI Hall and five others in the papal apartments.
The Holy Father expressed his thanks to the residents for the trees.