VATICAN CITY — The Vatican's tallest Christmas tree is twinkling in St. Peter's Square.

The Vatican said the 109-foot red spruce from Austria's Piesting Valley is the tallest since Pope John Paul II started the tradition of setting up a tree in the square in 1982.

Hundreds of pilgrims from Austria sang carols in the pouring rain Dec. 13 as the tree was officially unveiled.

It is decorated with 2,000 gold and silver balls, white lights and a shining star. It stands next to a larger-than-life-sized Nativity scene, which will be unveiled Christmas Eve.

VATICAN CITY — The world economic crisis might mean fewer Christmas presents, but Pope Benedict XVI said tough times can give back simplicity and solidarity to holiday celebrations.Benedict expressed hope that the financial crisis will help people focus on the spiritual meaning of Christmas, when Christians worldwide mark the birth of Jesus.Benedict said the crisis can help people to rediscover what he calls "the warmth, simplicity, friendship and solidarity" contained in authentic Christmas values.The pope reflected on economic suffering during his traditional Wednesday audience with pilgrims and tourists at the Vatican.

WESTERVILLE, Ohio — Controversial pastors, Democrats finding faith and a new darling of the Christian right.Those story lines from the U.S. presidential election led the list of top religion stories in 2008, according to a Religion Newswriters Association survey of more than 100 beat specialists.President-elect Barack Obama was voted the top religion newsmaker of 2008. Obama received more than 60 percent of the votes.Journalists chose a trio of pastors who posed problems for politicians as the year's top religion story.Incendiary sermons by the Rev. Jeremiah Wright forced Obama to withdraw his membership from Wright's Chicago church, while Republican John McCain rejected the endorsements of evangelical pastors John Hagee and Rod Parsley over their negative comments about other faiths.The Democratic Party's efforts to woo faith-based voters and GOP vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin's popularity with evangelical voters were the second and third top stories, respectively.Others making the list: voters in California overturning a court decision legalizing gay marriage, Pope Benedict XVI's first U.S. papal visit, and deepening divides within the worldwide Anglican Communion.