Despite many months of violence between Israelis & Palestinians, the most noteworthy Christmas Eve celebration in Bethlehem went on as planned Thurs., although crowds have been reportedly thinner than in years of time of time past.
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Despite the violence, thousands of people have gathered in Manger Square, admiring Bethlehem’s Christmas tree and listening to holiday music played by marching bands and scout troops. Over the last century, Christians had gone from comprising 20 percent of the Palestinian population to just over 1 percent, he said.
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At his Christmas Eve mass, Pope Francis urged the faithful to reject the materialism that pervades the gift-giving season, and to embrace “simple, balanced” values, while violence subdued festivities in the Holy Land.
In Bethlehem, the head of the Roman Catholic Church in the Holy Land arrived ahead of the traditional midnight mass at the Church of the Nativity, built over the site where Christians believe Jesus was born. Other Christmas events were canceled or reduced in scope.
A report in the Hebrew-language daily Ma’ariv said that senior PA officials met in Bethlehem earlier this week in order to formulate a strategy against the threat posed by extremists to the Christian celebrations in the city.
But Christmas has been overshadowed by three months of Israeli-Palestinian violence, so it was a poor turnout this year.
Israel built the barrier a decade ago to stop a wave of suicide bombings. Palestinians view the structure as a land grab that has stifled Bethlehem’s economy.
In Bethlehem, Twal wished “peace and love” for all.
In his homily, Twal expressed sympathy for the plight of Palestinians, Syrian refugees and “victims of all forms of terrorism everywhere”, according to a transcript issued by his office.
Christians from Gaza hope that their celebration of the feast will help them alleviate and forget their suffering in the wake of the eight-year-long Israeli blockade on the coastal enclave.
He described Christmas of 2015 as “unique” because it coincided with the birth anniversary of Prophet Mohammad for the first time since 400 years.
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Born in poverty in a cave-like stable, He, who is truly God, came to save us, to forgive our sins and to raise us to new life, and to give us the energy to work towards a better world.
