Vatican officials give thumbs up for 'The Nativity Story'

Published: 2006-11-28

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Vatican officials have given the latest Hollywood re-enactment of the Gospel accounts of Jesus' birth a thumbs up after hosting the film's world premiere Nov. 26. Praise for "The Nativity Story," due out in U.S. theaters Dec. 1, came from the Vatican newspaper, L'Osservatore Romano; the Vatican's secretary of state, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone; and the head of the Pontifical Council for Social Communications, U.S. Archbishop John P. Foley. "It's well done," Cardinal Bertone told journalists after seeing the film in the Vatican's Paul VI hall together with more than 7,000 other invited guests. Pope Benedict XVI, who was due to fly to Turkey less than 40 hours later, did not attend the evening event. "It retells this event which changed history with realism but also with a sense of great respect of the mystery of the Nativity," said Cardinal Bertone, adding that he found it to be "a good cinematic" feature. The benefit event raised money to build two new schools in the Israeli village of Mughar in Galilee. Christian, Muslim and Druze students will attend the elementary and middle schools.

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