(RNS) — Assuring the crowd of the sustainable harvesting of the tree, the pope compared the rings in the 98-foot-tall tree to the generations of believers gathering around the single image of Jesus.

Christmas at the Vatican this year is filled with the usual host of inspiring and fitting events and liturgies that celebrate the birth of the Lord, as well as at least one surprise. As always, ...

A local Italian group launched an online petition urging Pope Francis, the Vatican and others to stop the "fir tree-icide" of cutting down a 200-year-old red pine to decorate St. Peter's Square for ...

The Vatican has been putting Christmas trees in St. Peter’s Square for 42 years, but this year’s Tannenbaum could land the church on the naughty list. Environmentalists have appealed to the pope to ...

The Vatican unveiled its Nativity scene Monday and lit the 25-meter Christmas tree that towers above it in St. Peter’s Square as a band, chorus, and dancers in traditional costumes from Italy’s ...

ROME – One might think that of all the things about the Vatican which generate controversy, its annual Christmas tree ought to be fairly near the bottom of the list. In fact, even the tree ...

The large crowd gathered in Saint Peter’s Square on Saturday evening (Dec. 7) for the annual ceremony for the lighting of the Vatican’s 98-foot-tall Christmas tree heard a message about sustainability ...

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — A local Italian group launched an online petition urging Pope Francis, the Vatican and others to stop the “fir tree-icide” of cutting down a 200-year-old red pine to decorate St.