Ceremony for the Inauguration of the Nativity Scene and the Lighting of the Christmas Tree in St. Peter’s Square

The traditional inauguration of the Nativity Scene and the lighting of the Christmas tree will take place in St. Peter’s Square on Monday, 15 December, at 5:00 p.m. The ceremony will be presided over by Sr. Raffaella Petrini, President of the Governorate of Vatican City State, in the presence of Archbishop Emilio Nappa and Attorney Giuseppe Puglisi-Alibrandi, Secretaries General of the same Governorate.

In the morning, the Delegations of the Dioceses of Bolzano-Bressanone and Nocera Inferiore-Sarno, together with representatives of the municipalities of Lagundo and Ultimo and of the municipalities of the Agro Nocentino-Sarnese area, will be received in audience by Pope Leo XIV for the official presentation.

Also in the morning, in the Paul VI Hall, Nacimiento Gaudium, the theme chosen by Costa Rica for the Nativity, will also be inaugurated. This is a work by the Costa Rican artist Paula Sáenz Soto, who wished to emphasize not only the Christmas message of peace, but also to issue an appeal to the world to protect life from the moment of conception.

At the same time, again in the Paul VI Hall, the Delegations will be received in audience by Pope Leo XIV for the official presentation of the gifts. The Delegation of Costa Rica will include, among others, Mrs. Signe Zeicate, First Lady of the Republic of Costa Rica; Miss Isabel Chaves Zeicate, daughter of the President of the Republic; and H.E. Mr. Federico Zamora, Ambassador of Costa Rica to the Holy See.

At the afternoon ceremony, the official Delegations from the places of origin of the Nativity Scene and the Christmas tree in St. Peter’s Square will be present, coming respectively from the towns of Lagundo and Ultimo, in the Diocese of Bolzano-Bressanone, and from the Diocese of Nocera Inferiore-Sarno. In particular, participants for the artistic Nativity Scene, will be among others, the Bishop of Nocera Inferiore-Sarno, Monsignor Giuseppe Giudice, the project curator, architect Angelo Santitoro, also Director of the Diocesan Office for Cultural Heritage and Religious Buildings, and the Director of the Diocesan Office of Social Communications, Salvatore D’Angelo.

For the Christmas tree, participants will include the Bishop of Bolzano-Bressanone, Monsignor Ivo Muser; the Mayor of Lagundo, Alexandra Ganner; and the Mayor of Ultimo, Stefan Schwarz.

The Nativity Scene in St. Peter’s Square was designed and developed in the Diocese of Nocera Inferiore-Sarno. The scene is set on a rectangle measuring 17 x 12 meters, with a maximum height of 7.70 meters. It features characteristic elements of the area, such as the Baptistery of Santa Maria Maggiore in Nocera Superiore, the Helvius Fountain of Sant’Egidio del Monte Albino, and the typical courtyards of the Agro Nocerino-Sarnese; architectural elements associated with Saint Alphonsus Maria de Liguori, the Servants of God Don Enrico Smaldone and Alfonso Russo, all enriched by symbols and elements that highlight the traditional food-and-wine heritage of the region.

Among the scenes are a cross-section of the Baptistery on the left, a courtyard house on the right, and in the foreground the Helvius Fountain, surmounted by a coat of arms with a walnut tree, symbol of the University of Nocera dei Pagani. Each element has a precise meaning and leads the viewer’s attention toward the center: the Nativity. The paving recalls ancient Roman roads made of stone slabs. Anchored on it are life-size shepherds with some animal figures. The idea was to unite art and spirituality in a setting that evokes faith and tradition.

The structure was provided by the company Seri…A of Nocera Inferiore, with the collaboration of the master carpenters of the Avella company, while the scenography was curated by architect Silvio Di Monaco, who has designed sets for film productions. The shepherd figures were created by master Nativity-scene artisan Federico Iaccarino of Meta di Sorrento. The activities were coordinated by the diocesan technical office.

The representation of the Nativity in the Paul VI Hall, Nacimiento Gaudium, features a figure of the Virgin Mary in a state of pregnancy and an ensemble of 28,000 colored ribbons, each representing a life saved from abortion thanks to prayer and the support provided by Catholic organizations to many mothers in difficulty.

The Nativity Scene measures five meters in length, three meters in height, and two and a half meters in depth. While respecting tradition—with the presence of Joseph, the Magi, the shepherds, and the animals—the work introduces an original element: two different and interchangeable representations of the Madonna.

During the period of Advent, a statue of Mary pregnant will be displayed, symbolizing expectation and hope; on Christmas night, this will be replaced with an image of the Virgin kneeling in adoration of the newly born Child.

In the manger of Jesus, 400 ribbons will also be placed, bearing prayers and wishes written by the young patients of the National Children’s Hospital of San José. The Nativity Scene was promoted in collaboration with the Embassy of Costa Rica to the Holy See.

From the Val d’Ultimo, in the province of Bolzano, comes the majestic red spruce tree, 25 meters high and weighing 80 quintals. It is a gift from the municipalities of Lagundo and Ultimo. In addition to the tree chosen for the Square, 40 other smaller trees—purchased and coming from dedicated plantations—will also be brought to the Vatican, to be placed in offices, public spaces, and buildings of the Holy See.

At the end of the season, essential oils will be extracted from the green branches of the spruce by the Austrian company Wilder Naturprodukte, while the remaining wood will be donated to a charitable association for reuse in keeping with respect for creation.

The Nativity Scenes and the Christmas tree in St. Peter’s Square will remain on display until the conclusion of the Christmas season, which coincides with the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, on Sunday, 11 January 2026.