Bethlehem celebrates first festive Christmas since Gaza war

Bethlehem: Hundreds of worshippers gathered for mass at the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem Wednesday night as the Palestinian city ushered in its first festive Christmas in more than two years, emerging from the shadow of the war in Gaza.

Throughout the conflict, a sombre tone had marked Christmases in the biblical birthplace of Jesus Christ.

But celebrations returned full swing Wednesday with crowded parades and music in the occupied West Bank city, as a fragile truce held in Gaza, where hundreds of thousands of people face winter in makeshift tents.

With pews of the Church of the Nativity filled long before midnight, many stood or sat on the floor for the traditional mass to usher in Christmas Day.

At 11:15 pm (2115 GMT) organ music rang out as a procession of dozens of clergymen entered, followed by Jerusalem’s Latin Patriarch, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, who blessed the crowd with signs of the cross.

In his homily, Pizzaballa urged peace, hope and rebirth, saying the Nativity story still held relevance in the turbulence of modern times.

“Christmas… invites us to look beyond the logic of domination, to rediscover the power of love, solidarity, and of justice,” he told the congregation.

He spoke of his visit to war-battered Gaza over the weekend, where he said “suffering is still present” despite the ceasefire.

“The wounds are deep, yet I have to say, here too, there too, their proclamation of Christmas resounds,” he said. “When I met them, I was struck by their strength and desire to start over.”

At the Vatican, Pope Leo XIV delivered his first Christmas Mass at Saint Peter’s Basilica, after he called for “24 hours of peace in the whole world”.

The American pontiff, elected in May after Pope Francis’s death, said Christmas was a feast of “faith, charity and hope” and criticised a “distorted economy” that treats humans “as mere merchandise”.

Leo stuck to a very religious homily without any direct reference to current affairs.

Across the world, families gathered for Christmas Eve as millions of children everywhere awaited eagerly for their gifts to be delivered.

– ‘Desire of life’ –

In Bethlehem, drums and bagpipes playing renditions of popular Christmas carols filled the air, as Christians young and old made their way to the city’s central Manger Square.

“Today is full of joy because we haven’t been able to celebrate because of the war,” said Milagros Anstas, 17, dressed in the yellow and blue uniform of Bethlehem’s Salesian scout group.

Hundreds took part in the parade down Bethlehem’s narrow Star Street, while a dense crowd massed in the square.

Men dressed as Santa Claus sold toffee apples and toys as families took photographs in front of a nativity scene framed by a giant star.

As darkness fell, multi-coloured lights shone over Manger Square and a towering Christmas tree glittered next to the Church of the Nativity.

The basilica dates back to the fourth century and was built on top of a grotto where Christians believe Jesus was born more than 2,000 years ago.

Bethlehem residents hope the return of Christmas festivities will breathe life back into the city.

“We need to get the message to the whole world and this is the only way,” said George Hanna, from the neighbouring town of Beit Jala.

“What is Christmas without celebrating?”

Italian pilgrim Carmelina Piedimonte said witnessing the celebrations filled her with hope.

“If in your heart you have love, then it’s possible to have a world without war,” she said, as bells rang out behind her.

– ‘New future’ –

In Syria, Christmas lights illuminated Damascus’s Old City despite the Christian community’s fears of violence after a deadly attack in June.

Around the district, home to a vibrant community and several important churches, red baubles hung from trees, shopkeepers put up Christmas decorations and street vendors peddled warm chestnuts.

“Syria deserves joy and for us to be happy, and to hope for a new future,” said student Loris Aasaf, 20, as she soaked up the atmosphere with her friends.

Globally, families with the means to do so began gathering to mark Christmas Eve together.

The Flightradar24 tracking site, among others, revived its annual tradition of posting a live Santa tracker, showing Father Christmas’s sleigh soaring through the skies from the North Pole to deliver presents.

In Australia, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese had a more sombre message in the wake of the recent attack on a Hanukkah celebration at Bondi Beach.

“Wherever you are across our wonderful country, Christmas will feel different this year,” he said.

“After the terror inflicted on Jewish Australia celebrating Hanukkah and Bondi Beach, we feel the weight of sorrow in our hearts.”