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.
unusual:
insólitas; nativity scenes: pesebres, belenes; over the years: a
lo largo de los años; looks like it came: parece que vino; from outer
space: de otra galaxia; have criticized it: lo han criticado;
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.
shown: mostrados;
astronaut: astronauta; a character: un personaje; the Star Wars
films: las películas "La Guerra de las Galaxias";
Some social media users call it worrying. Others were stronger with their
language.
“What in the name of sane Christianity have they created in the piazza in the
Vatican?”, tweeted A. A. Michelangelo. Sane is a term that means something is
based on good reason or good judgement.
social media users:
usuarios de redes sociales; call it worrying: lo definen como inquietante;
were stronger with their language: se expresaron con más violencia; in
the name of: con la excusa de; piazza: plaza; tweeted: tuiteó,
escribió en Twitter; sane: sano, cuerdo; reason: razón;
judgement: juicio;
A. A. Michelangelo described the creation as “horrific” - an adjective close in
meaning to terrible or horrible.
horrific:
horrorosa; close in meaning to: de significado parecido a;
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.
shephedrs:
pastores; square game pieces: tablero de piezas sueltas (juego de mesa);
sit low on the ground: están todos sentados en el suelo;
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 ceramics. It was produced between 1965 and 1975.
Italians traditionally add a new character to represent a current event.
it is usually given
to the Vatican: generalmente son entregados al Vaticano; by towns or
artists: por las ciudades o los artistas; was made by: fue realizado
por; famous for ceramics: famosa por sus cerámicas; traditionally:
por tradición; add a new character: agregan un nuevo personaje; to
represent a current event: para representar un acontecimiento actual;
Past Vatican nativity scenes have included a broken boat representing the issues
of refugees and a person visiting a prisoner in jail. Last year’s Nativity Scene
was made from around 650,0000 kilograms of beach sand.
past Vatican
nativity scenes: los pesebres del Vaticano en años anteriores; a broken
boat: una embarcación destruida; the issues of refugees: los
problemas de los refugiados; a prisoner in jail: un preso en la cárcel;
beach sand: arena de playa;
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.
the moon landings:
los alunizajes; of the late 1960s and early 1970s: de los años 60 y 70;
planting a Vatican flag: clavando una bandera del Vaticano; asking for
directions to: pidiendo instrucciones para ir a;
Among the scene’s few supporters was American Lino Rulli, who appears on “The
Catholic 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.
among: entre;
few supporters: pocos defensores o simpatizantes; radio broadcast:
transmisión radial; the guy: el tipo; cantina: bodegón, taberna;
For others, the decision by the Vatican City’s local government to use it at the
end of 2020 was particularly troubling.
for others: para
otros (opinadores); to use it at the end of 2020: de usarlo como cierre
del año 2020; particularly troubling: especialmente turbador o
preocupante;
“With this global pandemic and everything else, the Christian 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.
global pandemic:
pandemia mundial; was expecting: estaba esperando; a sign of rebirth:
una señal de renacimiento; has been selling: ha estado vendiendo;
religious items: artículos religiosos; for 30 years: durante 30 años;
it has confused and saddened a lot of people: ha confundido y entristecido a
mucha gente.
I’m John Russell.