(Vatican Radio) “Sports are at home in the Church” – that’s what Pope Francis told managers and athletes of Italy’s National Olympic Committee Friday. In a meeting in the Vatican, the Pope congratulated them on Rome’s candidacy as a possible venue for the 2024 Olympics, but quipped; “I won’t be here!” He observed that Italy’s…
Read more
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis met on Friday with religious and civil authorities from the Italian cities of Verona and Catanzaro to thank them for the Christmas tree and nativity scene that they donated for St Peter’s Square. The life sized crib figures, given by Verona’s Arena Foundation, and the giant fir tree from Calabria, he…
Read more
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis said on Friday that there is much sterility within the Church and the people of God, a sterility that comes from power and egoism. The Church, he stressed, is a mother and not an entrepreneur. His remarks came during his homily at morning Mass celebrated at the Santa Marta residence. The…
Read more
(Vatican Radio) Pilgrims visiting St Peter’s square during these final weeks of Advent can begin to enjoy a little reminder of Christmas at home, with the lighting up of the Vatican’s Christmas tree and the unveiling of the Nativity Scene on the evening of Friday 19th of December.
For many years the tradition of putting up a Christmas tree was hardly followed in Italy, but in 1982 Pope John Paul II had a tree put up in the square, bringing the Polish tradition firmly into the Vatican. Since then, many different countries and regions of Europe have taken turns in donating a tree to the Pope.
This year’s tree, which is 70 years old, was donated by the southern Italian region of Calabria, which Pope Francis visited in June of this year.
In his encyclical “Lumen Fidei” Pope Francis used the image of the branches of a tree to illustrate the spreading of faith out from God into the world.
The tree stands 25.5 metres tall, weighs 8 tons and has what’s known as a twin trunk, that is to say that two separate trunks have fused together to form a single tree trunk. This feature is also used symbolically, to show that man is never alone on his journey through this life, but is always joined by the Lord.
The Nativity scene is titled “The Nativity scene in Opera,” The figurines in the scene are donated by the “Verona for the Arena” foundation, and are inspired by the famous opera productions staged in the Verona Opera Arena, especially Gaetano Donizetti’s comic opera “The Elixir of Love.”
One hope is that the scene will help to showcase and promote Italian Opera in the world, but there’s also a more profound hope underneath.
The title play’s on the two meanings of the Italian word “opera,” which can mean either the theatre production or the verb “to work.”
So the “Nativity scene in Opera” also highlights the work that God brought about the Nativity of Jesus Christ.
(from Vatican Radio)…
(Vatican Radio) Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the (Vatican) Secretary of State, said on Thursday that Pope Francis played a very significant role in facilitating the rapprochement between the U.S. and Cuba. Speaking in an exclusive interview with Vatican Radio, Cardinal Parolin spoke of the Holy See’s satisfaction over the agreement between the U.S. and Cuba to restore diplomatic ties and praised the leaders of the two nations for their courageous decision.
Please listen to the interview and also find below the full written transcript of Cardinal Parolin’s remarks in English:
Q. What was the specific role of Pope Francis – the first Pope to come from the South American continent?
A. I would like to repeat the satisfaction of the Holy See for this important step in the relations between the United States and Cuba. And also to stress that the role of the Holy Father was very significant in this conclusion. Of course, in the sense that since the beginning of his pontificate, he has stressed the importance for the person and the groups and people to meet together. What we have called the culture of encounter. I think that this is the proper word. But his teaching then, his teaching which also pointed out this importance and this necessity. At the same time, the help to the two parties, the United States and Cuba, writing to the two presidents and stressing the importance of finding a solution to their historical differences.
Q. What was the Holy See’s diplomatic role in these negotiations?
A. In this case, the Holy See has tried to facilitate the dialogue between the two parties according to the, let’s say, the objective that the Holy Father Pope Francis has given to the diplomacy of the Holy See. Which is of course traditional in its history, but now he (it) has (a) new accent (emphasis) because of the situation, the particular situation of our world – which is to build bridges between persons and groups and nations. And then it was, let’s say, a service of facilitating and of promoting the dialogue between the two parties.
Q. The roles of President Obama and the Cuban President were also important in these negotiations…
A. Of course, of course. I would like to, just to highlight the courage they had in this decision. It is a decision, I think…very important and of course, not everybody agrees with that but I think that it was important from the side of the two presidents to have the courage and the strength to make such a decision. And I think that we have really, finally, at the end, to thank God who inspired such good sentiments and intentions (of) the two leaders. Hoping that this example could be taken by many other leaders in the region and in the world and to try, really, to overcome differences and conflict through negotiation and through dialogue.
(from Vatican Radio)…