Vatican nativity scene gift from Naples, Christmas tree from Germany

December 03, 2013 - The first Christmas of Pope Francis in the Vatican will have a nativity scene from the southern Italian city of Naples, known the world over for its distinctive nativity art style. The Governorate of Vatican City said on Tuesday the nativity scene set up every year in the centre of St. Peter’s Square will be entitled, “Francis 1223 – Francis 2013”, recalling the first nativity scene set up 790 years ago by Italy’s popular patron St. Francis of Assisi, whose name and humble lifestyle Argentine Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio assumed on being elected Pope on March 13. The complex artistic and architectural scene is a gift of the famous Neapolitan nativity scene creators, Cantone and Costabile to Cardinal Crescenzio Sepe, Archbihsop of Naples, who along with the Capania Region has gifted it to Pope Francis this year. The Vatican Governorate also announced that this year’s giant Christmas tree in St. Peter’s Square near the nativity scene is a gift from the Bavarian town of Waldmunchen, Germany. The 25-meter fir tree weighing 7.2 tons is arriving in the Vatican on Friday. As in the past years, the wood from the fir tree will be used to made toys and articles of daily use, after the Christmas season is over.