The Pope made a decision about Christmas trees. The fight over the 200-year-old fir tree is over.
Despite protests and petitions, the 200-year-old Christmas tree will remain in St. Peter's Square. The tree was transported from Trent and a vigil was held before it was cut down. Residents and environmentalists opposed the move, calling it an “anachronistic disgrace'' and a destruction of the ecosystem. The Vatican disagrees. The tree, which is over 30 meters tall, is scheduled to be lit on December 7th.
Despite numerous controversies in Piazza San Pietro, a 31-metre-high Christmas tree will appear in Piazza San Pietro. A 200-year-old fir tree has been cut down in Trento's Valle di Ledro. When the public learned about the tree's plans, protests erupted.
Vatican. Controversy over 200-year-old Christmas tree comes to an end
“I am very sorry that we have cut down a fir tree that is 31 meters high,” Lorenzo Vescovi said, as reported by Ansa news agency. He was one of the first to start protests against cutting down Christmas trees.
Trento residents and conservationists opposed the cutting down of the ancient Christmas tree. They organized a petition and collected over 50,000 signatures. A petition to stop the felling of a 200-year-old tree and several other plants that were to decorate the halls of the Vatican.
The document was addressed not only to Pope Francis himself, but also to the Vatican Governorate and the local authorities in Trento.
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The petition's sponsors were local residents as well as local environmental activists. They stressed that cutting down perennial trees today is an “anachronistic disgrace”. The Pope also called for an end to logging in the context of his encyclical on respect for the natural environment.
Christmas. A 200-year-old Christmas tree will be installed in St. Peter's Square. peter
The Vatican's General Secretariat issued a statement saying cutting down fir trees was not only for aesthetic reasons, but was also “responsible from an ecological point of view.” The Vatican explained that the 200-year-old plant “will ensure the natural replacement of trees for decades to come.”
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It was also shown that the Christmas tree that was to decorate St. John's Church would be completed. Peter comes from a logging area, so it would have been logged anyway.
A tree lighting ceremony is scheduled for December 7th.
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