Rome, Dec 12 (UNI): December 25 is not just celebrated as Jesus Christ’s birthday but it is a special day for children when Santa Claus comes visiting and showers on them gifts and goodies.
But their hearts were broken by a bishop who issued a statement that Father Christmas for whom children wait for throughout the year is not real. The church diocese in Italy extended an apology for hurting sentiments of outraged parents and kids alike.
“No, Santa Claus does not exist. In fact, I would add that the red suit he wears was chosen by Coca Cola exclusively for advertising purposes,” Antonio Staglianò told the children last week during an arts festival.
Posting an apology on its social media, the Diocese of Noto said, “First of all, on behalf of the Bishop, I express regret for this statement that has disappointed the children, and want to clarify that this was not at all Mr. Staglianò’s intention.”
Staglianò’s press secretary Father Alessandro Paolini said the bishop’s aim was to reflect on the meaning of Christmas and the beautiful traditions which accompany it with greater awareness and regain the beauty of a Christmas now increasingly ‘commercial’ and ‘de-Christianised.’
“If we can all draw a lesson, young or old, from the figure of Santa Claus (which originates with Bishop St Nicholas) it is this: fewer gifts to ‘create’ and ‘consume’ and more ‘gifts’ to share,” the statement added.
Revisiting his comments, Stagliano in an interview with a local Italian newspaper said he didn’t tell them that Santa Claus doesn’t exist, but we talked about the need to distinguish what is real from what is not, reports CNN.
He said “consumer culture” had obscured the true meaning of the festival, which was a message of giving — illustrated by the birth of the baby Jesus, who was “born to give himself to all humanity”.
