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Pope Benedict XVI blesses the faithful framed by the Christmas tree as he leads his Angelus prayer from the window of his private apartments in Saint Peter Square at the Vatican - Source: Reuters
The largest Christmas tree ever to be placed in St Peter's
Square in Rome was lit on Saturday and Vatican officials said its
wood will be recycled to make toys for needy children.
The 33-metre-high tree, which came from the forests of southern
Austria, was lit at an afternoon ceremony as rain that has brought
the nearby Tiber River to one of its highest levels in decades
started again after a one-day break.
The Vatican said all the wood from the 120-year-old tree will be
recycled to make toys for needy children and garden furniture such
as benches for schools.
The decision to recycle the wood from the tree was the Vatican's
latest effort to go green.
Last month it activated a large system of solar panels on the roof
of its audience hall and announced an ambitious plan that could one
day make it an alternative energy exporter.
