Pope Benedict XVI is using the holiday season to fight the spread in Italy of symbols with pagan roots, such as Santa Claus and the Christmas tree, and to revive the Church’s traditional nativity scenes.Benedict, speaking in St. Peter’s Square yesterday, thanked Italy’s children for helping him turn back the clock to a time when the nativity scene was the dominant Christmas display in the country’s homes and squares.
“I want to thank first and foremost the children and young people of Rome that came today in such great numbers to receive the blessing” for their displays, Benedict said.
Rino Fisichella, Auxiliary Bishop of Rome and rector of the Pontifical Lateran University in Rome, sent his students out into the city’s streets over the weekend to sell nativity statues for about 2 euros ($2.87) apiece.
Rino Fisichella, Auxiliary Bishop of Rome and rector of the Pontifical Lateran University in Rome, sent his students out into the city’s streets over the weekend to sell nativity statues for about 2 euros ($2.87) apiece.
Earlier this year, Benedict lifted a 40-year ban on priests celebrating Latin Mass, in a gesture to traditionalists.
About 30,000 are expected in Rome’s Piazza del Popolo for this year’s display of 100 nativity scenes, including one by Iraqi artist Ali Al Jabiri. Rome even has a museum devoted to the displays, with 3,000 figurines from around the world.
Saint Francis of Assisi is credited with the creation of the first nativity display, called presepe in Italian, in 1223. Francis’ display, built for the celebration of Midnight Mass, was set in hay in a manger, next to a donkey and an ox.
Italians typically pull out their figurines and build the scenes in their living rooms at the beginning of December. Baby Jesus is placed in his crib only on Christmas Eve, a privilege usually reserved for the youngest family member.
The unveiling of the nativity scene in St. Peter’s Square on Dec. 24 each year is a major Christmas season event, attracting large crowds and drawing scrutiny among Vatican watchers looking for significance in the placement and positioning of the figures.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++Disclaimer
No responsibility or liability shall attach itself to either myself or to the blogspot ‘Clerical Whispers’ for any or all of the articles placed here.
The placing of an article hereupon does not necessarily imply that I agree or accept the contents of the article as being necessarily factual in theology, dogma or otherwise.
Sotto Voce