Italy marks Feast of the Immaculate Conception with 8 December holiday
Holiday marks the start of the Christmas season in Italy.
Italy marks the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, a Catholic holy day, with a national public holiday on 8 December.
This year the holiday falls on a Sunday so it won't affect Italy's schools or public offices.
One of the main events associated with the day in Italy is the pope's pilgrimage to the statue of the Madonna at Piazza Mignanelli in Rome.
In a tradition dating back to 1958, the pope will leave a floral wreath at the base of the 19th-century Column of the Immaculate Conception in the piazza.
Firefighters will also place a garland of flowers on the top of the 12 metre-high statue of the Madonna.
Pope Francis is scheduled to make a public visit to the statue near Piazza di Spagna at 16.00, leading to traffic restrictions in the area.
The pontiff will be joined by Rome mayor Roberto Gualtieri and Cardinal Baldassare Reina, vicar general of the Diocese of Rome.
The day, known as L'Immacolata, is also viewed as the official start of the Christmas shopping season in Italy.
Another Roman tradition associated with 8 December is the illumination of the capital's Christmas tree, however no official announcement has been made yet.
Work is currently underway to decorate the tree, in its new location of Piazza del Popolo for the second year in a row, due to Metro C works in Piazza Venezia.
Rome's mayor traditionally switches on the lights of the tree at the same time as the Christmas lights along the central Via del Corso.
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Piazza Mignanelli, 00187 Roma RM, Italy
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Italy marks Feast of the Immaculate Conception with 8 December holiday
Piazza Mignanelli, 00187 Roma RM, Italy
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