Christmas tree arrives in St.Peter’s Square from Italy’s northern province of Bolzano
Vatican Christmas tree arrives in St. Peter’s Square
Continuing the tradition begun in 1982, a 25-meter-tall tree
from the northern Italian province of Bolzano finds its place towering over
tourists in St. Peter’s Square until the end of the Christmas season.
By Kielce Gussie
A 25-meter-tall red fir tree is now standing in St. Peter’s
Square. This year, the tree comes from the Val d’Ultimo area in the province of
Bolzano and was given by the municipalities of Lagundo and Val d’Ultimo,
located in the northern part of Italy.
The province of Bolzano is known for its extraordinary
beauty filled with lakes, forests, mountains, and meadows. After thorough
examination, the forest guard service selected the tree.
As is tradition, in addition to the main tree, 40 smaller
trees will also be brought to the Vatican and be placed in different offices
and buildings of the Holy See. More mature trees are chosen as part of a
natural renewal process.
Bishop Ivo Muser of Bolzano-Bressanone explained “the
felling of the tree is not an act of disrespect but the result of careful
forest management, where tree removal is part of an active care strategy that
ensures the health of the forest and control its growth.”
In the area of South Tyrol—where the two cities are
located—reforestation is seen as more than a simple project. It is, as the
bishop noted, “an established practice and a cornerstone of sustainable forest
management, where for every tree felled, new ones are planted, ensuring healthy
and resilient forests for future generations.”
Part of this green perspective is that following the close
of the Christmas season, essential oils are set to be extracted from the tree’s
branches by the Austrian company Wilder Naturprodukte. The remaining wood will
be donated to a charitable organization to be repurposed, in keeping with the
guiding principles of environmental stewardship.
The Vatican Christmas tree tradition began in 1982 with Pope
John Paul II when he received a Christmas tree as a gift from a Polish farmer,
who had brought it all the way to Rome. Since then, the offering of the
Christmas Tree to the Pope has become an honour, and each year the Vatican
accepts a tree donated by a different European country or region.
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