Vatican Christmas Tree

[2] The tradition of erecting a Christmas Tree was celebrated in northern and central Europe, also in Poland Pope John Paul II's country of origin, but not in the Vatican at the time.

In 2006 the Italian province of Trentino, and the local council of a village of Tesero, have provided a further thirteen sculpted wooden figures and animals, as well as household utensils for the depiction of daily life.

[4] The giant tree came from a PEFC certified, sustainably managed Ardennes forests in the Belgian region of Wallonia near the town of Spa.

[23] Pope John Paul II spent seven summer vacations in Valle D'Aosta, and one large Alpine mountain on the border with France has been named after him.

The tree was symbolically presented to the Pope by three hundred people from Valle D’Aosta, including the governor of the region, at the general audience.