A 25-meter red fir from Italy’s Val d’Ultimo arrives in St. Peter’s Square, continuing the Vatican’s Christmas tree tradition begun by St. John Paul II in 1982.
Newsroom (28/11/2025 Gaudium Press ) A towering 25-meter red fir, carefully selected from the forests of Val d’Ultimo in the northern Italian province of Bolzano, was erected this week in St. Peter’s Square, marking the official start of the Vatican’s Christmas preparations.
Donated jointly by the municipalities of Lagundo and Val d’Ultimo in the bilingual region of South Tyrol, the tree was chosen by the local forest guard service after extensive evaluation. The province of Bolzano—celebrated for its alpine lakes, dense forests, rugged mountains, and flowering meadows—has long been a source of exceptional specimens for the Holy See.
Alongside the main tree, forty smaller conifers will adorn various Vatican offices and residences, all harvested as part of a deliberate natural renewal program that favors mature trees.
Bishop Ivo Muser of Bolzano-Bressanone emphasized that the felling is far from an act of environmental disregard. “It is the result of careful forest management,” he said, “where tree removal is part of an active care strategy that ensures the health of the forest and controls its growth.” In South Tyrol, reforestation is a deeply rooted practice: for every tree cut, new saplings are planted to guarantee resilient woodlands for generations to come.
Sustainability extends beyond the forest. After the Christmas season ends and the tree is dismantled, its branches will be processed by the Austrian company Wilder Naturprodukte to extract essential oils. The remaining timber will be donated to a charitable organization for repurposing, embodying the Vatican’s commitment to environmental stewardship.
The tradition of a Christmas tree in St. Peter’s Square dates to 1982, when St. John Paul II accepted a tree brought personally to Rome by a Polish farmer. What began as a humble gesture has evolved into an annual honor, with European regions and countries vying to present the Pope with a gift that now stands as one of the most visible symbols of Christmas at the heart of the Catholic world.
The red fir from South Tyrol will remain illuminated in St. Peter’s Square until the end of the Christmas season, offering pilgrims and tourists alike a striking reminder of both alpine beauty and the Vatican’s enduring blend of faith and responsible care for creation.
- Raju Hasmukh with files from Vatican News
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