Pope turns on huge solar Christmas 'tree'

Gubbio Christmas Tree

Pope Benedict switched on the solar lights on the world's largest Christmas 'tree' last night, on a hillside near Gubbio, where St Francis of Assisi made the first living crib. He used the latest technology - a tablet computer.

The 800 metre tree is illuminated by hundreds of lights - all powered by photovoltaic panels.

The Pope said: "The message I would like to give is that I hope each one of us bring a little light to the environment where we live - in our families, in our countries, towns, communities ...

To see Pope Benedict giving the whole message (with English subtitles - you can also skip any ads that pop up) go to: www.youtube.com/watch?v=ME59Lt1B2_Q