This Advent, the Vatican will welcome a Nativity that begins before the manger. Inside the Paul VI Audience Hall, a Costa Rican crèche titled Nacimiento Gaudium (“Joy”) by artist Paula Sáenz Soto highlights Mary during pregnancy — an image of expectation that belongs to everyone who has ever waited for new life.
The Holy See’s Governorate describes the work as celebrating Christmas peace while appealing for the protection of life from its beginning.
The scale is intimate yet striking: about five meters long, three meters deep, and 2.5 meters high.
According to official sources, the installation will use two depictions of Mary — one visibly expecting during Advent, and, on Christmas Eve, an image of Mary adoring the Child as the Infant is placed in the crib, following Vatican custom.
Why “Gaudium”?
Joy runs through Christian tradition, but also through human experience. The title nods to documents like Gaudium et Spes and Evangelii Gaudium, yet the scene’s first language is universal: a mother awaiting her child.
The Catechism puts it simply: the Holy Spirit, “the Lord, the giver of life,” was sent “to sanctify the womb of the Virgin Mary.”
For believers, that line points to the mystery of the Incarnation; for any visitor, Mary’s expectancy invites hope — quiet, courageous, and tender.
If you’re in Rome this December, you’ll also find the familiar outdoor tableau in St. Peter’s Square. This year’s square-side Nativity comes from the Diocese of Nocera Inferiore–Sarno (Campania) and will sit beside a 27-meter spruce donated by the communities of Lagundo and Ultimo in northern Italy.
L’Osservatore Romano echoed the Governorate’s announcement, underscoring how local craft and place-based symbols meet the Gospel story at the heart of the city.
Some will label Gaudium a “pro-life Nativity.” You don’t need that tag to understand what the scene says. A woman carrying a child is already a proclamation: life begins hidden, cherished, and awaited. The Vatican’s choice to start the story with Mary expecting lets the season breathe. Advent is not only countdown; it is gestation — of faith, of reconciliation, of the courage to welcome.
For pilgrims and tourists alike, the pairing of crèches — one indoors tracing Mary’s waiting, one outdoors anchoring Christmas in the square — offers two entry points into the same joy. You can step into the bustle of St. Peter’s, then slip into the Audience Hall and meet the quiet before the cry. Either way, the itinerary is simple: come and see.
A practical note: details released by the Governorate confirm origins and themes; unveiling typically occurs in early December and the Infant is placed on Christmas Eve, as noted above. Check the Vatican’s channels closer to your visit for exact dates and access information.
In a Jubilee year inviting people to become “pilgrims of hope,” Mary’s waiting is a gentle guide. Joy, like every child, arrives in time.
