VOA慢速英语--不寻常的耶稣诞生场景受到批评

St. 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.

A nativity scene is a group of objects organized to show the birth of Jesus Christ. Nativity scenes are traditionally shown during the Christmas season.

This 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.

Some social media users call it worrying.

Others were stronger with their language.

"What in the name of sane¹ Christianity have they created in the piazza³ in the Vatican," tweeted A. A. Michelangelo. Sane is a term that means something is based on good reason or good judgement.

A. A. Michelangelo described the creation⁴ as "horrific" - an adjective close in meaning to terrible or horrible.

Mary, 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.

Every year, the Vatican uses a different nativity scene. It is usually given to the Vatican by towns or artists.

This year's scene was made by students and teachers in Castelli, an Italian town famous for ceramics⁶. It was produced between 1965 and 1975.

Italians traditionally add a new character to represent a current event.

Past Vatican nativity scenes have included a broken boat representing the issues of refugees⁷ and a person visiting a prisoner in jail. Last year's Nativity Scene was made from around 650,0000 kilograms of beach sand.

The astronaut represents the moon landings of the late 1960s and early 1970s, says a description for visitors.

One 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.

Among the scene's few supporters was American Lino Rulli, who appears on "The Catholic⁸ Guy", a weekday radio broadcast in Minnesota.

"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.

For others, the decision by the Vatican City's local government to use it at the end of 2020 was particularly troubling.

"With this global pandemic and everything else, the Christian² 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.

"It has confused and saddened a lot of people," he told Reuters.

Words in This Story

character – n. a person who appears in a story, book, play, movie, or television show

piazza – n. an open public area in a town or city (especially in Italy) that is usually surrounded by buildings

shepherd – n. a person whose job is to take care of sheep — sometimes used figuratively

ceramics – n. things made out of hardened clay : ceramic⁵ objects

global – adj. involving the entire world

confuse – v. to make (something) difficult to understand

1 sane   

adj.心智健全的，神志清醒的，明智的，稳健的

参考例句：

• He was sane at the time of the murder.在凶杀案发生时他的神志是清醒的。
• He is a very sane person.他是一个很有头脑的人。

2 Christian   

adj.基督教徒的；n.基督教徒

参考例句：

• They always addressed each other by their Christian name.他们总是以教名互相称呼。
• His mother is a sincere Christian.他母亲是个虔诚的基督教徒。

3 piazza   

n.广场；走廊

参考例句：

• Siena's main piazza was one of the sights of Italy.锡耶纳的主要广场是意大利的名胜之一。
• They walked out of the cafeteria,and across the piazzadj.他们走出自助餐厅,穿过广场。

4 creation   

n.创造，创造的作品，产物，宇宙，天地万物

参考例句：

• Language is the most important mental creation of man.语言是人类头脑最重要的产物。
• The creation of new playgrounds will benefit the local children.新游戏场的建立将有益于当地的儿童。

5 ceramic   

n.制陶业，陶器，陶瓷工艺

参考例句：

• The order for ceramic tiles has been booked in.瓷砖的订单已登记下来了。
• Some ceramic works of art are shown in this exhibition.这次展览会上展出了一些陶瓷艺术品。

6 ceramics   

n.制陶业；陶器

参考例句：

• an exhibition of ceramics by Picasso 毕加索陶瓷作品展
• The ceramics bore the imprint of Luca della Robbia. 陶器上印有卢卡·德拉·罗比亚的字样。

7 refugees   

n.避难者，难民( refugee的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The UN has begun making airdrops of food to refugees. 联合国已开始向难民空投食物。
• They claimed they were political refugees and not economic migrants. 他们宣称自己是政治难民，不是经济移民。

8 catholic   

adj.天主教的；n.天主教徒

参考例句：

• The Pope is the supreme leader of the Roman Catholic Church.教皇是罗马天主教的最高领袖。
• She was a devoutly Catholic.她是一个虔诚地天主教徒。