Discover the Vatican’s Christmas 2025: 27m Alpine spruce, Campania & Costa Rican nativities blending faith & culture. Pope Leo XIV revives midnight Mass.
Newsroom (06/10/2025, Gaudium Press ) As pilgrims and visitors prepare to flock to the Eternal City this holiday season, the Vatican is set to weave a vibrant mosaic of faith, art, and tradition for Christmas 2025. At the heart of the festivities in St. Peter’s Square stands a towering 27-meter Norway spruce, a gift from the communities of Lagundo and Ultimo in Italy’s Alto Adige region. Sourced from the breathtaking Ultimo Valley, the tree embodies the majestic Alps while symbolizing a heartfelt contribution from northern Italy’s faithful. Accompanying it will be smaller firs from the same area, adorning Vatican offices and buildings to infuse the Holy See with seasonal cheer.
Flanking the central tree, a meticulously crafted nativity scene from the Diocese of Nocera Inferiore-Sarno in Campania will evoke the region’s rich architectural and cultural tapestry. Drawing from landmarks like the early Christian Baptistery of Nocera Superiore, the Helvius Fountain in Sant’Egidio del Monte Albino, and the characteristic courtyards of the Agro nocerino, the presepe — or crib — masterfully recounts the Incarnation, intertwining sacred themes with local pride.
The tableau features a diverse ensemble of figures that bridge history, spirituality, and everyday life. Saint Alphonsus Maria de’ Liguori presides at a harpsichord, leading children in carols; a shepherd, modeled after the Servant of God Don Enrico Smaldone, climbs a staircase with an outstretched arm toward the Christ Child, underscoring formation in faith. Another character, inspired by the Servant of God Alfonso Russo, represents endurance through suffering and selfless service. At the core, Mary, Joseph, and the infant Jesus are joined by the traditional ox and donkey, with the Magi and a shepherdess presenting diocesan bounty: artichokes, San Marzano tomatoes, and native nuts.
Zampognari bagpipers stand sentinel, their instruments echoing the fusion of liturgy and folk heritage. Subtle motifs invite deeper contemplation — a pendulum clock marking time’s passage, a figure on a balcony in quiet vigil, and a fisherman gripping a massive anchor, evoking the Jubilee Holy Door’s promise of passage and redemption. Overhead, a radiant star with an anchor-tipped tail merges heavenly light with earthly anchors of hope.
In a nod to global solidarity, the Paul VI Audience Hall will host the Costa Rican nativity “Nacimiento Gaudium,” created by artist Paula Sáenz Soto. This installation extends the Nativity’s message of peace to advocate for life’s sanctity from conception, linking timeless gospel truths with pressing moral dialogues.
These installations, spanning the alpine vistas of Alto Adige, Campania’s storied landscapes, and Costa Rica’s vibrant spirit, illustrate how localized expressions of belief amplify the universal Nativity narrative. They beckon the world’s faithful to ponder Christmas as a beacon of hope and shared humanity.
Pope Leo XIV Adjusts Liturgical Schedule, Reviving Midnight Mass Tradition
Pope Leo XIV will preside over Christmas Day Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica on Dec. 25 morning, upholding a rite established during the pontificate of St. John Paul II.
The Vatican disclosed on Tuesday the pontiff’s liturgical calendar from Nov. 1 through the close of the Christmas season in January 2026. Among the updates, the schedule introduces a Christmas Mass During the Day ahead of the traditional urbi et orbi blessing, while shifting the Christmas Eve Mass — or Midnight Mass — to 10 p.m. local time, up from the 7:30 p.m. slot observed under Pope Francis.
This later timing revives the true midnight observance, absent from Vatican celebrations since John Paul II’s era, signaling a return to ancient rhythms amid the Jubilee Year’s spiritual fervor.
- Raju Hasmukh with files from Zenit
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