Children holding up signs for a parade in Bethlehem
A Bethlehem Christmas. Bethlehem is located in the war torn Gaza Strip. An emotional Christmas for Bethlehem.
Bethlehem is a small city in the middle east that still goes by the same name as it was called in the Bible.
Where is Bethlehem located?
Bethlehem, the city in the occupied West Bank that Christians believe is the birthplace of Jesus Christ, is located in Gaza, a city occupied by Palestinine, but next to the country Israel. Bethlehem is a city inside the Gaza strip. Bethlehem now, is part of the war torn nation of Gaza. An area which engulfed in conflict between Palestine and Israel.
Christmas, a time of joy and celebration, takes on a different tone in Bethlehem this year as conflict continues to overshadow festive traditions. The birthplace of Jesus, revered as the site of the Church of the Nativity, remains stripped of the typical holiday adornments.
The Church of the Nativity, built over the cave believed to be Jesus’s birthplace more than 2,000 years ago, usually serves as the heart of Christmas festivities in Bethlehem. Each year, the Manger Square is adorned with a grand Christmas tree, vibrant decorations, and joyful music, attracting visitors from around the world.
However, the circumstances have compelled local authorities to adopt a more modest approach to this year’s celebrations, according to aljazeera.comOn a Tuesday in central Bethlehem, the Terra Sancta Scout Troop, dressed in red scarves, marched down the main shopping street while vendors sold local delicacies like nougat and shawarma. The air was filled with people singing Christmas carols, creating a striking juxtaposition to the serious messages on the banners they carried: “We want life, not death” and “Stop the Gaza genocide now!” .
This marks the second consecutive year that Christmas festivities in Bethlehem are dimmed by the ongoing war. For the estimated 185,000 Christians in Israel and 47,000 in the Palestinian territories, spirituality remains a refuge. Prayer during this period can provide solace.
The archbishop, Pizzaballa, who led Christmas mass in Gaza has a message for everyone “I just arrived yesterday from Gaza. I saw everything destroyed, poverty, disaster,” he said.
“But I also saw life – they don’t give up. So you should not give up either. Never,” Pizzaballa added in a speech outside the Bethlehem Peace Center, a cultural venue.
“We are stronger, we belong to light, not to darkness,” he said, standing beside a Palestinian flag. “Next year, we want to see the biggest Christmas tree ever.”
The mayor of Bethlehem Anton Salman stated “We’re going to pray and ask God to end our suffering, to give this part of the world the peace that we expect, the peace that Jesus brought to the world”.
This war had been long and complicated. Will this war ever end? Comment below on your thoughts Bethlehem; an ancient city with a deeply rooted culture and conflict.
Kids posing for a photo in Bethlehem.
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