Pope visits Nativity erected by garbage collectors, street sweepers

Published: 2006-01-06

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Christ must be the center of our lives, Pope Benedict XVI told Rome garbage collectors and street sweepers as he visited an enormous, always-expanding Nativity scene they erected in a city office. Continuing a tradition begun by Pope John Paul II, Pope Benedict visited the sanitation workers' Nativity scene Jan. 5, making the short trip across the street from the Vatican walls. In the presence of Rome's mayor, Walter Veltroni, the pope first thanked the workers for keeping the area around St. Peter's Square clean and tidy. He then praised the faith and dedication that went into building the Nativity scene that since 1972 has grown to include 95 houses and some 200 figures in addition to Jesus, Mary, Joseph and the Wise Men. The building materials include olive wood from Bethlehem and little chips of marble given to the street sweepers when the facade of St. Peter's Basilica was cleaned and restored in preparation for the Holy Year 2000.

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