杏MAP导航

By Alessandro De Carolis

鈥淐hildren, isn鈥檛 the Nativity Scene something beautiful? Isn鈥檛 it true, you men who represent the world of work? Yes, it is a beautiful thing; and for this reason, we will immediately bless your statues of Baby Jesus from our window, and then we will come down into the Square to bless the Nativity Scene that has been prepared here by the Vatican's Printing Office workers.鈥�

The First Blessing

It was 杏MAP导航 St. Paul VI who, during his Angelus address, described the wonder evoked by the sight of the Nativity Scene to the faithful in the St. Peter's Square. 

In this depiction of the Nativity, the 杏MAP导航 spoke of a 鈥渁 lesson in Christian spirit鈥� and 鈥渁 message of virtue.鈥�

He found in the grotto that welcomed Baby Jesus 鈥渁 prelude to new life, a prelude so simple that even children understand it: what matters is goodness, simplicity,鈥� innocence, 鈥渁nd the feeling of being all friends and brothers.鈥�

This image offered consolation, especially for Italy, shaken by the 12 December Piazza Fontana bombing which took place in the center of the northern Italian city of Milan. Recalling that terrorist attack in which a bomb exploded at the headquarters of Banca Nazionale dell'Agricoltura, 杏MAP导航 Paul VI, the week earlier, had begun the Sunday Angelus with 鈥渟orrow for the vile and wicked terrorist crimes鈥� committed two days earlier.

The blessing of the bambinelli

The Tradition of the Roman Oratories

Now, fifty-five years later, we see that St. Paul VI's gesture established a tradition.

For the Roman Oratory Center, it has become a significant event marked on the calendar every mid-December.

Over time, the Sunday of the Blessing of the Bambinelli has turned into an occasion for hundreds of boys and girls to gather in St. Peter鈥檚 Square, raising their small Baby Jesus figurines toward the 杏MAP导航鈥檚 window to receive his blessing.

The tradition has evolved into a structured event, enriched this year by the addition of an artistic competition.

A Contest of Creativity

Next Sunday, December 22, various Roman oratories will gather under Bernini鈥檚 colonnade starting at 9 a.m., then proceed to the Basilica for Mass presided over by Cardinal Mauro Gambetti, the Archpriest of St. Peter's Basilica.

Afterward, they will return to St. Peter's Square for the Angelus, bringing not only their Bambinelli, but also paintings inspired by the Nativity and the theme 鈥淎 Heart of Light.鈥�

The artworks will be displayed in the Square itself, and the winners will be honored during the Festa della Riconoscenza鈥� (Feast of Recognition) on 28 December in Rome.