Protest against the felling of an ancient fir tree as Christmas tree for the Pope

Rome - Every year during Advent, a monumental tree is cut down and brought to St Peter's Square. The regions from which the Christmas tree for the Pope comes usually see this as an honour. But this time there are protests.

Published on 12.11.2024 at 12:21 –

Trouble over the Christmas tree for St Peter's Square: the residents of Val di Ledro (province of Trentino) are protesting against the felling of a 30-metre-high, 200-year-old fir tree as the Pope's Christmas tree. A petition on Change.org has collected 50,000 signatures against this, as reported by the newspaper "Il Messaggero" (Tuesday). The Pope must stop this "useless, anachronistic massacre", it said, also referring to Francis' environmental encyclical Laudato si (2015).

The majestic tree was found in the forests of Passo Nota near Lake Garda at an altitude of 1,200 metres. "It makes no sense to talk about damage caused by climate change if we then perpetuate such customs that call for the death of a centuries-old fir tree, a symbol of the other millions of trees that are cut down every year in Italy and around the world for a festival of which the tree is not even the symbol," said the protesting groups. It would be nice to see the tree decorated, "but where it stands - without cutting it down".

Money could be better invested

The cost of 60,000 euros in public funds for the delivery and transport of the tree could also be better spent on important health or transport measures in Ledro, a town of 5,000 inhabitants, they said. For St Peter's Square, they propose the creation of a permanent artistic tree made of wood from trees that have fallen due to climate change.

Every year, the Pope receives a particularly beautiful tree from European forests for the nativity scene in St Peter's Square. The decorated Christmas tree and the huge nativity scene are the destination of visitors from all over the world during the Christmas season. The tree is brought to St Peter's Square by special transport, where the Vatican fire brigade sets it up and prepares it for the festive lighting ceremony.

Last year, the tree came from the upper Maira Valley in Piedmont. After the festivities, it was handed over to a company that processed it into children's toys, which in turn were to be distributed by Caritas. (KNA)