St Peter's Nativity scene to be unveiled on Saturday

By Vatican News staff writer

The Vatican's 2022 Nativity Scene will be unveiled on Saturday, 3 December, at the annual Christmas Tree Lighting ceremony in St. Peter's Square. The event begins at 5 pm Rome time.

Ahead of the ceremony, Pope Francis on Saturday morning will receive delegations from Sutrio, Rosello, and Guatemala, who gifted this year's tree and nativity scenes, for the official presentation of the gifts.

Inauguration ceremony in St. Peter's Square

Cardinal Fernando Vérgez Alzaga and Sister Raffaella Petrini, respectively President and Secretary General of the Governorate of Vatican City State, will inaugurate the Nativity Scene and light the Christmas tree installed in St. Peter's Square.

The ceremony will be attended by the official delegations from the places of origin of the artistic nativity scene - hand-made entirely of wood - and of the tree.

The Nativity Scene and White Fir

The lighting of the Christmas tree will be attended by the Bishop of Trivento, Claudio Palumbo; and the mayor of Rosello, Alessio Monaco, among others.

This year, the majestic white fir tree was decorated by young people residing at the "La Quadrifoglio" psychiatric rehabilitation facility in collaboration with elderly patients from the "Sant'Antonio" care center in Borrello, Italy, and schoolchildren from Pizzoferrato, Quadri, and Villa Santa Maria.

According to a statement from the Vatican's Governorate, the 2022 Nativity Scene was offered by the northern Italian village of Sutrio, in the province of Udine in the Friuli-Venezia Giulia region.

The Sutrio Crib will be entirely made of wood, with a semi-sphere that will act as a Grotto, where the Holy Family will be displayed, around which life-sized characters will be placed.

The nativity scene and tree in St. Peter's Square will remain on display until the conclusion of Christmas time, which coincides with the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, Sunday, 8 January, 2023