Overview
- Sister Raffaella Petrini led the inauguration in St. Peter’s Square with civil and church representatives from the donating dioceses.
- The Christmas tree is a 25-meter European spruce from South Tyrol’s Diocese of Bolzano-Bressanone, gifted by the municipalities of Lagundo and Ultimo.
- The Nativity scene, created by the Diocese of Nocera Inferiore-Sarno, features regional architecture and life-size figures anchored on a large platform.
- Music and dance performances included the Vatican Gendarmerie’s band and choirs, and Pope Leo XIV did not attend the evening ceremony.
- The installations remain on view through January 11, 2026, with Vatican officials emphasizing themes of peace, fraternity and care for creation, and plans to recycle the tree after the season.