The citizens of Val di Ledro, 5,000 souls living 20 minutes from Riva del Garda, are determined to save their beloved fir.
"This is a custom that must be overcome for the good of the
environment," they said in a statement.
"For this reason we make a heartfelt appeal to His Holiness to spare our Green Giant." A petition to save the tree has garnered over 50,000 signatures on change.org.