The Pope's Christmas Card

From L’Osservatore Romano

Veritas de terra orta est! (“Truth shall spring out of the earth”). Benedict XVI chose these words  from Psalm 85:12 for this year’s Christmas card, which will be given to the Roman Curia, Vatican employees and all the faithful present at the audiences and celebrations in the upcoming days. The card, produced by the Vatican Printing Press, features the Holy Father’s hand-written message and this painting by Leandro Bassano (1557-1622), entitled: “The Nativity and Adoration of the Shepherds”, located in the private apartment of the Apostolic Palace. Benedict XVI continues the tradition — began by Paul VI in 1963 — of printing cards for Christmas, Easter and other solemnities with a hand-written phrase taken from Scripture, the Church Fathers or the lectionary with a depiction of the theme of the liturgical feast.