{"id":1831,"date":"2012-12-14T18:00:00","date_gmt":"2012-12-14T18:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.catholicnewsagency.com\/news\/vatican-nativity-scene-will-reflect-southern-italy-cave-setting\/"},"modified":"2012-12-14T18:00:00","modified_gmt":"2012-12-14T18:00:00","slug":"vatican-nativity-scene-will-reflect-southern-italy-cave-setting","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicnews\/2012\/12\/vatican-nativity-scene-will-reflect-southern-italy-cave-setting\/","title":{"rendered":"Vatican Nativity scene will reflect southern Italy cave setting"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

Vatican City, Dec 14, 2012 \/ 11:00 am (CNA\/EWTN News<\/a>).- This Christmas season visitors to St. Peter\u2019s Square will get a chance to see a Nativity scene that is set amid a famous city of ancient cave dwellings from southern Italy.<\/p>\n

\t\u201cThe Nativity Scene reminds us of what is important about the mystery of Christmas,\u201d Bishop Giuseppe Sciacca, Secretary General of the Governorate of Vatican City State, told CNA on Dec. 13.<\/p>\n

\t\u201cIt\u2019s not about a fact that took place in the past and was sealed in time and space,\u201d he explained. \u201cThe mystery of Christmas strongly represents the real, living presence of Christ and his Church and spirit.\u201d<\/p>\n

\t\u201cThat mystery of Christmas is represented and renewed every time the Church, in the Eucharistic celebration in the Sacramental sign, celebrates Christmas,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\tAt a Dec. 13 press conference, Vatican officials announced that this year\u2019s Nativity scene would be donated by southern Italy\u2019s Basilicata region. This is the first year that the annual cr\u00e8che is being donated, which will result in significant savings for the Vatican, they said.<\/p>\n

\tThe depiction of Christ\u2019s birth will be set in the \u201cSassi di Matera,\u201d ancient stone cave dwellings in the Basilicata area.<\/p>\n

\tThe city of Matera, where the cave dwellings are located, is a U.N. World Heritage site. The caves have made the area famous throughout the world, and they even served as a filming location for Mel Gibson's film, \u201cThe Passion of the Christ.\u201d<\/p>\n

\tConstruction of the set is already underway and expected to be completed by Christmas Eve.<\/p>\n

\tThe tradition of building a Nativity scene at the Vatican was started in 1982 by Pope John Paul II. Each year, the display includes similar elements, but it often features a different theme.<\/p>\n

\tPast themes have included an emphasis on events in the life of the Virgin Mary and Filipino figures to recognize 60 years of diplomatic relations between the Philippines and the Holy See.<\/p>\n

\tThe display this year will include more than 100 terracotta statues of varying height, depicted in an intricate system of scenery and lighting on a raised platform.<\/p>\n

\tThe cr\u00e8che is being designed by Italian artist Francesco Artese, whose previous work \u2013 including other acclaimed nativity scenes \u2013 has been exhibited around the world. Artese was born in Matera in 1957.<\/p>\n

\tThe Basilicata regional government was able to fundraise for most of the money to complete the project, which will cover more than 1,600 square feet and feature statutes of St. Joseph, Mary, the baby Jesus, shepherds, the three wise men and animals, among others.<\/p>\n

\tThe Vatican\u2019s 70-foot Christmas tree, which was donated by the Molise region of Italy, stands next to the manger scene and was lit during a ceremony at sundown on Dec. 14.<\/p>\n

\tThe manger will be unveiled on Christmas Eve, and Pope Benedict will celebrate the Christmas vigil Mass at 10:00 p.m. inside St. Peter\u2019s Basilica.<\/p>\n

\n<\/a>\n<\/div>\n

<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Vatican City, Dec 14, 2012 \/ 11:00 am (CNA\/EWTN News).- This Christmas season visitors to St. Peter’s Square will get a chance to see a Nativity scene that is set amid a famous city of ancient cave dwellings from southern Italy.<\/p>\n

\t“The Nati…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1031,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1,6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1831","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","category-vatican"],"yoast_head":"\nVatican Nativity scene will reflect southern Italy cave setting<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Vatican City, Dec 14, 2012 \/ 11:00 am (CNA\/EWTN News).- This Christmas season visitors to St. Peter’s Square will get a chance to see a Nativity scene that is set amid a famous city of ancient cave dwellings from southern Italy. “The Nati...\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" 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