World News
Catholicism's most famous church lacks Christmas art, decoration
Published:
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Romans generally do not deck the halls with boughs of holly, at least not the halls of their churches. Now a major holiday attraction for Roman families, the tree and the Nativity scene in St. Peter's Square were first erected in 1982 at the request of Pope John Paul II, a Pole. But once through the square, northern European or North American visitors are likely to find St. Peter's Basilica decidedly un-Christmassy. Even including the Nativity scene temporarily set up in the Chapel of the Presentation, a visitor could count on one hand the examples of Christmas art inside the basilica. St. Peter's may mark the heart and center of the Catholic Church, but "it is a church built over a tomb and the decoration recalls the life and sacrifice of St. Peter and his relationship with Christ," said Daniele Pergolizzi, an archivist at the basilica.
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