In Vatican figure of Baby Jesus in Nativity scene to be brought by policeman and firefighter

This year, during the Christmas Eve Mass, a figure of Baby Jesus will be put in the Christmas crib in St Peter's Square by two Vatican employees: a police officer and a firefighter. The procession will be held, according to ancient tradition, at the moment of the hymn singing "Glory to God", reports the Vatican Radio.

The decision of the Governorship – in commemoration of the bicentenary of the founding of the Vatican Gendarmerie Corps – is intended to be "a small gesture of appreciation and gratitude to the people who have given generously to the service of neighbor in trouble, working very hard."

The report recalled that immediately after the strong earthquake on August 24 and then on October 30 in Central Italy Vatican firemen and gendarmes began to cooperate with the Italian police, civil defense and numerous volunteers. They were selflessly "saving people under the rubble, dismantled collapses, patrolled the villages to prevent possible looting of property." In particular, in the town of Norcia firefighters "came to the assistance of families and returned them things of uninhabitable buildings, and also took part in the rescue of works of art, buried under the rubble of the walls of the various churches of the Archdiocese of Spoleto and Norcia."