By Quds News Network
Occupied Palestine (Quds News Network)- Hundreds gathered at the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem on Tuesday to mark Christmas in a somber atmosphere. For the second year in a row, the celebrations reflected the grief caused by Israel’s ongoing genocide in Gaza. No decorations adorned the church or its surroundings, and the absence of tourists and pilgrims underscored the sadness.
In Manger Square, where Christians believe Jesus was born, a scout group broke the morning silence. One scout held a banner reading, “We want life, not death” and “Peace for Gaza.”
A large Christmas tree, usually lit in the square, remained dark. Local authorities chose to avoid major festivities again this year. However, prayers and Midnight Mass, led by Latin Patriarch Pierbattista Pizzaballa, continued as planned, with a strictly religious focus instead of the joyful celebrations of the past.
Christmas Prayers Amid Genocide
Despite the gloom, Palestinian Christians, numbering about 185,000 in the 1948-occupied territories and 47,000 in Jerusalem, the West Bank, and Gaza, turned to prayer for solace. Israeli authorities banned Christmas ceremonies in Gaza churches, but Pope Francis successfully pressured them to allow Patriarch Pizzaballa to enter Gaza and lead Midnight Mass at the Holy Family Church.
[https://twitter.com/LPJerusalem/status/1871139613311648012]
Prayers filled the church as worshipers mourned the ongoing genocide in Gaza, now in its 15th month. The Christmas celebrations were limited to church services.
After the Mass, Pope Francis spoke to Gaza’s Christians via Skype, offering his blessings and Christmas wishes.
Honoring the Fallen
While in Gaza, Patriarch Pizzaballa visited the graves of Nahida Anton and her daughter Samar, who were killed by an Israeli sniper on December 16, 2023. Their graves, located at the Holy Family Catholic Church, became a poignant reminder of the suffering endured by Gaza’s Christians as Israel continues to target them.
[https://twitter.com/QudsNen/status/1871639472414298349]
[https://twitter.com/QudsNen/status/1871683932426494190]
25 December 2024
Source: countercurrents.org