Christmas tree lighting ceremony in Piazza S. Pietro on 10 December.

The Vatican's Christmas tree, a 28m-high spruce from the northern Trentino region of Italy, arrived in St Peter's Square on Tuesday morning.

The tree, weighing eight tons, comes from a sustainable forestry management project in Andalo and was a gift to the Vatican from Trentino.

The Christmas tree will have 600 wooden decorations, handcrafted by Andalo artisans, and the Vatican will illuminate it with low energy consumption lighting.

• Vatican to display Christmas crib from the Andes

The tree's lights will be switched on during a ceremony at 17.00 on 10 December when the Christmas crib in St Peter's Square will also be inaugurated.

This year's Nativity Scene will feature 30 life-sized figurines dressed in Andean costumes in what is the Vatican's first crib to come from the Americas.

Photo La Repubblica - AGF

Christmas is coming to St Peter’s https://t.co/OlaVBNPtsq

— Wanted in Rome (@wantedinrome) November 23, 2021