For the second consecutive year, Advent and Christmas in the Holy Land arrive at a time of war.
This past weekend, the people in the small town where Jesus was born welcomed the friars of the Custody of the Holy Land, led by the custos, Father Francesco Patton, as it is tradition for the custos to inaugurate the Advent celebrations.
While Bethlehem is not directly involved in the conflict, it continues to suffer under the weight of economic crisis, violence from Israeli settlers, and emigration.
The city is not as empty as it was a year ago, but the atmosphere feels even heavier: Fear and a lack of prospects suffocate the hope of the people here. In pharmacies, anti-anxiety medications are in high demand.
After more than a year, “we are still afraid the war might reach us here,” numerous people who did not want to be named told CNA.
There is little desire to celebrate, even though this year the Christian churches of the Holy Land have encouraged their faithful to display public signs of hope — albeit with a sense of restraint.
“In these ways, we will echo the Christmas story itself, where the angels announced to the shepherds glad tidings of Christ’s birth in the midst of similarly dark times in our region,” the Patriarchs and Heads of the Churches in Jerusalem said in a statement released Nov. 22.
This year, the custos’ entry was festive. It was a warm winter day, and the entire route along Star Street was filled with children joyfully welcoming him.
The road runs through the town center and leads to the Basilica of the Nativity, which, according to Christian tradition, was traveled by the Holy Family. A large contingent of scouts also led the procession.
At the same time, it was impossible to ignore the war.
The war that Israel is waging in Gaza and in Lebanon (the latter of which now hangs on a fragile ceasefire) is reflected in the signs held by children along Star Street during the procession: “From the bottom of my heart, peace in Gaza and Beirut,” “Peaceful solutions are always better,” “From the cradle of peace, peace to wounded Lebanon,” and “Together we can create change” are some of the words displayed on the signs.
Then there is the conflict that has been reignited in Syria. Six friars make up the custody’s community in Aleppo. They immediately decided to stay — it is their vocation and mission, they said — even as the situation is escalating: On Sunday, Dec. 1, the Franciscan complex of the Terra Santa College in Aleppo was hit by a strike and severely damaged. No casualties were reported but panic has reportedly spread among the people.
Later that evening, the custos of the Holy Land released a declaration saying “our friars and the faithful of the parish are all well” and inviting everyone “to join us in prayer for peace in Syria, martyred by long years of war and violence.”
In St. Catherine Church, the Latin part of the complex, the custos venerated the relic of the Holy Cradle of the Child Jesus during the solemn celebration of first vespers of Sunday, marking the beginning of the Advent season and a new liturgical year.
The celebration culminated in a procession to the Nativity Grotto, where a 14-point silver star marks the spot where Jesus is believed to have been born. A few steps away is the manger in which Jesus was laid just after his birth. Here, the custos lit the first candle of the Advent wreath.
“In the Nativity scene, the angels sing outdoors and the star lights up the night. Our celebration should also have visible signs of hope,” the custos told CNA in an interview.
“I would like what shines to be the sense of solidarity, the ability for mutual hospitality, to forgive, and to offer reconciliation. I would like the meaning of Christmas to shine: that we are all loved by God and that the Child comes as God with us and our savior.”
On Dec. 1, the Church of St. Catherine was filled with local worshippers for the celebration of the Mass of the first Sunday of Advent. The theme of hope was the focus of the custos’ homily.
“In the midst of life’s problems we must never despair or let ourselves be overcome by fear, and we must not turn in on ourselves but raise our gaze toward Jesus. Indeed, we need hope precisely when things are going wrong, when it seems to us that problems are without solution, that diseases are without the possibility of recovery, and that wars are endless,” he said.
By Marinella Bandini | catholicnewsagency
