environmental activists denounce the installation of the traditional Christmas tree in Saint-Pierre Square

With just under a month until the end of year holidays, everyone is getting ready. Including the Vatican. But a little controversy could tarnish the festivities. Since November 4, 2024, environmental activists in the province of Trentino, in northern Italy, have been outraged by the very probable felling of a 200-year-old fir tree, reports The Guardian. Coming from the Ledro Valley, the conifer is the subject of tensions between environmentalists, local authorities and the Holy See. So much so that to save this “green giant”, almost 50,000 people have already signed a petition addressed to the Sovereign Pontiff, launched by the Associazione Bearsandothers.

In an open letter, they denounce “an unnecessary sacrifice”, a reflection of a “purely consumerist practice”. This Christmas tree would have only one purpose: to advertise and “some ridiculous selfies”. An “absurd choice”, they conclude. Activists are also planning to hold a road block to prevent the tree from being transported to Rome.

Pope Francis faces his contradictions

A Saint-Pierre Square without a tree this year? This is what these activists hope for, who have reminded the Pope of his commitments in favor of the climate, creation and ecology, since the start of his pontificate. Notably through his encyclical Laudato Siihis apostolic exhortation Laudate Deum and his message Terra madre. Not cutting down this tree for Christmas would be a “clear” signal for them to put papal commitments into practice: “It is incoherent to speak of the fight against climate change and then to perpetuate traditions like this, which require the elimination of such an ancient and symbolic tree,” they write.

Faced with growing protests, the mayor of the small town of Ledro defends himself. Renato Girardi persists and signs: his town will indeed offer this bicentennial conifer to the City-State. “We only want to donate a fir tree and I want to emphasize that if it was not donated, it would end up in a sawmill,” he told the Italian press.

The tradition of Christmas trees in the Vatican began in 1982. Since then, a tree has been donated each year, either from a region of Italy or another European country, before being installed in the second week of December in Holy Square. -Rock. A gift often a source of pride for mayors. Renato Girardi castigates activists who “ruin the spirit of Christmas for a plant”. If the Holy See has not yet reacted, the councilor concludes that he did not expect “such nastiness” and announced that he would provide 39 other fir trees for the interior of the Vatican buildings.