Decorations, parades and usual shows of festivities will not go ahead this year as Christians mourn those killed in Gaza
Published date: 10 December 2023
In Gaza, the occupied West Bank and Israel, the typically festive season is instead sombre.
This year, there will be no Christmas lights in Bethlehem, no festive parades in Jerusalem or elaborate decorations in Israel.
In Gaza, Palestinians are mourning the loss of over 17,000 killed in Israeli bombings. Bodies are being pulled out from under the rubble, while people continue to search for their missing loved ones amidst wide-scale destruction.
The war, which started on 7 October, has come at a time when Christians would usually be preparing for the festive season.
However, for the first time since the start of modern celebrations of Christmas, Jesus's birthplace and the Manger Square tree in Bethlehem will not be decorated.
Christian leaders and municipal authorities have decided to cancel all public festivities, stating it was "not appropriate".
The patriarchs and heads of the churches in Jerusalem have asked Christians to refrain from "unnecessarily festive" Christmas activities. Catholic churches in Galilee have made a similar request.
The president of the Council of Local Evangelical Churches in the Holy Land, Munir Kakish, said the decision came due to "the thousands killed - and in prayer for peace". He added that "we will only hold traditional services and devotionals on the meaning of Christmas".
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