Unusual Nativity Scene Gets Criticism
2020-12-19
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1St. Peter's Square in the Vatican has had a few unusual nativity scenes over the years.
2But this year's scene looks like it came from outer space.
3Many people have criticized it.
4A nativity scene is a group of objects organized to show the birth of Jesus Christ.
5Nativity scenes are traditionally shown during the Christmas season.
6This year's nativity scene in St. Peter's Square has an astronaut and a character that looks like Darth Vader from the Star Wars films.
7Some social media users call it worrying.
8Others were stronger with their language.
9"What in the name of sane Christianity have they created in the piazza in the Vatican," tweeted A. A. Michelangelo.
10Sane is a term that means something is based on good reason or good judgement.
11A. A. Michelangelo described the creation as "horrific" - an adjective close in meaning to terrible or horrible.
12Mary, Joseph, the three kings and the shepherds are traditional characters in Nativity scenes.
13In this one, they look like square game pieces.
14The animals sit low on the ground.
15Every year, the Vatican uses a different nativity scene.
16It is usually given to the Vatican by towns or artists.
17This year's scene was made by students and teachers in Castelli, an Italian town famous for ceramics.
18It was produced between 1965 and 1975.
19Italians traditionally add a new character to represent a current event.
20Past Vatican nativity scenes have included a broken boat representing the issues of refugees and a person visiting a prisoner in jail.
21Last year's Nativity Scene was made from around 650,0000 kilograms of beach sand.
22The astronaut represents the moon landings of the late 1960s and early 1970s, says a description for visitors.
23One person on social media published a picture showing the astronaut planting a Vatican flag on the moon.
24Another showed Darth Vader asking for directions to St. Peter's Square.
25Among the scene's few supporters was American Lino Rulli, who appears on "The Catholic Guy", a weekday radio broadcast in Minnesota.
26"I don't know what I love more: the spaceman or the guy from the Star Wars Cantina. I really want a small one for our home," he wrote on Twitter.
27For others, the decision by the Vatican City's local government to use it at the end of 2020 was particularly troubling.
28"With this global pandemic and everything else, the Christian people, or anyone for that matter, was expecting a sign of rebirth," said Alfredo Chiarelli.
29He has been selling religious items in the square for 30 years.
30"It has confused and saddened a lot of people," he told Reuters.
31I'm John Russell.
1St. Peter's Square in the Vatican has had a few unusual nativity scenes over the years. But this year's scene looks like it came from outer space. Many people have criticized it. 2A nativity scene is a group of objects organized to show the birth of Jesus Christ. Nativity scenes are traditionally shown during the Christmas season. 3This year's nativity scene in St. Peter's Square has an astronaut and a character that looks like Darth Vader from the Star Wars films. 4Some social media users call it worrying. 5Others were stronger with their language. 6"What in the name of sane Christianity have they created in the piazza in the Vatican," tweeted A. A. Michelangelo. Sane is a term that means something is based on good reason or good judgement. 7A. A. Michelangelo described the creation as "horrific" - an adjective close in meaning to terrible or horrible. 8Mary, Joseph, the three kings and the shepherds are traditional characters in Nativity scenes. In this one, they look like square game pieces. The animals sit low on the ground. 9Every year, the Vatican uses a different nativity scene. It is usually given to the Vatican by towns or artists. 10This year's scene was made by students and teachers in Castelli, an Italian town famous for ceramics. It was produced between 1965 and 1975. 11Italians traditionally add a new character to represent a current event. 12Past Vatican nativity scenes have included a broken boat representing the issues of refugees and a person visiting a prisoner in jail. Last year's Nativity Scene was made from around 650,0000 kilograms of beach sand. 13The astronaut represents the moon landings of the late 1960s and early 1970s, says a description for visitors. 14One person on social media published a picture showing the astronaut planting a Vatican flag on the moon. Another showed Darth Vader asking for directions to St. Peter's Square. 15Among the scene's few supporters was American Lino Rulli, who appears on "The Catholic Guy", a weekday radio broadcast in Minnesota. 16"I don't know what I love more: the spaceman or the guy from the Star Wars Cantina. I really want a small one for our home," he wrote on Twitter. 17For others, the decision by the Vatican City's local government to use it at the end of 2020 was particularly troubling. 18"With this global pandemic and everything else, the Christian people, or anyone for that matter, was expecting a sign of rebirth," said Alfredo Chiarelli. He has been selling religious items in the square for 30 years. 19"It has confused and saddened a lot of people," he told Reuters. 20I'm John Russell. 21Philip Pullella reported on this story for Reuters. John Russell adapted it for Learning English. Susan Shand was the editor. 22_____________________________________________________________ 23Words in This Story 24character - n. a person who appears in a story, book, play, movie, or television show 25piazza - n. an open public area in a town or city (especially in Italy) that is usually surrounded by buildings 26shepherd - n. a person whose job is to take care of sheep - sometimes used figuratively 27ceramics - n. things made out of hardened clay : ceramic objects 28global - adj. involving the entire world 29confuse - v. to make (something) difficult to understand